Sport education can expect a major boost in the 15 Pacific Island countries of Oceania, following the ONOC Education Commission approval of a budget of just under USD three-quarters of a million for 2022.
Funded by the IOC Olympic Solidarity Programme under its Continental Programme, the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) implements sport education across 15 out of 17 members NOCs, focusing on Pacific Island countries through its flagship Oceania Sport Education Programme, OSEP.
James Tobin, Chair of the ONOC Education Commission, who is also the Secretary General of the Federated States of Micronesia National Olympic Committee, said, “Sport education will be strengthened through several projects to be delivered through OSEP in 2022.”
“The projects include the completion of micro-qualifications for six courses toward accreditation into the Pacific Quality Framework (PQF), the completion of an online learning management system, relicensing of OSEP trainers, Games support, compliance improvement, improved communications, and a move to one hundred percent applications in the second year offering of the Sport Education Officer (SEO) Grant Programme by member National Olympic Committees.”
Tobin added, “Micro-qualifications toward PQF accreditation is being conducted in partnership with the Pacific Community (SPC) through its Education Quality and Assessment Programme (EQAP), and upon completion, will improve the recognition of graduates and lead to more diverse, higher education pathways for those who intend further studies.”
“In addition, 100 OSEP trainers are being relicensed to teach OSEP’s sport education courses across 15 countries in an ongoing series of refresher courses which began online late last year.”
Another ongoing project is Games Support, which is a suite of courses provided to National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and National Federations (NFs) of all sports to improve technical expertise, sport organisation management, coaching, administration, and games entourage through capacity building of chefs-de-mission leading national teams to regional and international games.
Tobin stated that, “While the Games Support project is offered under the Olympic Solidarity Programme, its benefits cascade to improve sport performance, and sport and team management to national teams for the Commonwealth Games, Pacific Games, and the Asian Games, which are important competitions for athletes and teams from the Pacific Islands.”
“The sport education programme is enabled by funding under the Continental Programme of the IOC’s Olympic Solidarity Programme, which comes through the sale of broadcasting rights of both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games editions.”
Further, Tobin shared that OSEP farewelled Sainimili Saukuru, and welcomed Meli Cavu as Chief Sport Education Programme Officer. The Education Commission extended its gratitude to Saukuru for her leadership and legacy with OSEP, and looked forward to the leadership, experience and guidance Cavu will bring into the role.
Article adapted from the ONOC website.