The Lagos State Sports Commission Tuesday played host to at least 1,500 students from various public and private primary and secondary schools to celebrate the 2022 International Children Day.

The event with the theme, “Intervention for the new generation”, was organized by the commission, in collaboration with Goldcrest Family Centre.

It took place at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Indoor Sports Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.

In a speech, the Chairman of the commission, Sola Aiyepeku, said that the initiative was to leverage the role played by sports toward achieving social change and all-around development.

He said: “This year’s edition, being the pilot of the initiative, is showcasing Taekwondo Poomsae and Table Tennis."

“The choice of these two sports is that the former imparts self-defense techniques, which can bring about a reduction in bullying, girl-child molestation, and anti-rape measures."

“The latter fosters precision, alertness, and concentration, which promote academic excellence among children of school age."

“The ‘Sport Day’ aims at promoting the integration of education and sports to bring about all-around development of the youths,” he said.

The President, of the Goldcrest family, Rev. Agatha Chukwuka, told NAN that the program was conceived to provide orientation to the budding talents on principles of tolerance, love, and fair play.

“This has been on my mind for some time to find another way of engaging our children, especially at this time when some seem confused about what lies ahead of them."

“We want something that will completely occupy their mind, soul, and body."

“Those things that are not forced on them by parents, because most times, we parents are the ones dictating to them."

“So, we think about what the children are most interested in aside from their educational pursuit, which is very paramount for their future, so we picked sports which is widely accepted to them."

“In sports, they learn how to treat others with respect, tolerance, being at alert, focused, courageous and other positive things,” she said.

Samiat Kasumu, an SS 11 student of New Era Girls’ Senior Secondary School, Surulere, described the event as engaging with lessons on self-defense, communication, and the benefits of sports.

Also, Lateef Yekini from Surulere Primary School said that the event had helped him to meet new friends and have some fun.

Activities at the event included table tennis, taekwondo, and Poomsae competitions, among the students.

The winners at the various events were presented with school bags, educational materials, medals, and trophies for first, second, and third-place students.