By CHILA NAMAIKO  –
GOVERNMENT says it will next year scale up the implementation of the talent identification Programme (TIP) in various sport disciplines.
The Sports Council of Zambia (SCZ) will be the actors in TIP and will use the grassroot sports development programme as a key driver.
Acting Sports Minister Vincent Mwale told Parliament yesterday that individual sport associations would implement talent identification plans in line with their calendars and annual work plans.
This will be enhanced through establishment of community service bases, provision of basic training sport equipments and community sport facilitators.
He said the ministry would facilitate such programmes in various faculties such as the provision of sports equipments, construction and rehabilitation of many sporting infrastructure under the grassroot sports development programme.
Mwale, who is also Local Government Minister, said SCZ would ensure national sport activities were supported to push for more talent identification, and development in all parts of the country starting with constituencies.
“This programme will be implemented in all constituencies of the country including Kanchibiya constituency subject to the availability of resources, “he said.
He said this in response to question for oral answers from Patriotic Front Kanchibiya Member of Parliament Martin Malama, who asked whether Government has any plans to conduct talent identification programmes in various sport disciplines like football, netball, volleyball and athletics and when such plans would be implanted.
Mwale said, in schools, the talent identification programmes was being undertaken under the auspices of the Zambia Schools Sports Associations.
The Government, he said, was also working with the corporate world to pump financial support through sponsorship on various talent identifications.
He said the construction of the Olympic Youth Development Centre  in Lusaka has provided more opportunities for young people to participate in sport disciplines as about 11,000 youths take part in different sport activities every week from the centre.
Mwale said Government has since embarked on putting up a replica of OYDC citing Chinsali and Mufumbwe districts where such facilities would be constructed to offer robust sport activities.