Kumasi, Aug. 15, GNA - The Headmaster of Ummul Qura Islamic School, Mallam Yakubu Yussif has called on the Ministry of Youth and Sports to help support the development of lesser known sports in the country such as ampe, draft, 'oware', swimming and ludo among others.

Mallam Yussif noted that developing the lesser known sporting disciplines would go a long way in helping people especially the youth to develop their hidden talents which hitherto had been made to go waste due to the over concentration on football and boxing.

The Headmaster said this during the opening of the one week annual sporting activities of the Inter-Islamic Schools Sports Festival at Oforikrom in Kumasi on Thursday.

Mallam Yussif also called on teachers to take keen interest in teaching extra curricular activities to pave the way for their students to have a holistic development of their body as well as socialising with their peers.

The headmaster urged the students to ensure that they indulge in sporting activities to enhance their health conditions, which he said is a prerequisite towards good learning conditions.

He noted that indulging in sports does not only provide good health but also creates room for socialisation, which is very vital for the development of the youth's leadership skills as well as creating of the enabling environment for the total development of the individual child. Mallam Yussif urged students to desist from all forms of social vices which can lead to a lot of problems to destroy their lives. The headmaster appealed to Muslim students to ensure that they acquire both Arabic and circular education since knowledge in both sectors would enable them fit adequately into any work condition or society.

Among the games being contested for by the students are football, tug of war, lime and spoon race, sack race and 'ampe' among others.