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Although many hours are taken up by domestic chores, sports figure strongly in all school timetables. Above you can see both male and female students playing volley ball, probably the second most popular game after football. Football is taken very very seriously and is played mostly by boys but more increasing by girls as well. Every term sees at least one inter district or inter regional competition. In addition to football and volleyball, atheletic disciplines are taken. Athletics are mostly track based as these do not require extensive equipment.
The picture above and the one on the next page of an Independence Day marching parade on the school playing 'field' show the normal condition of the ground in the northern regions - dry and very dusty. If you look closely above, you can see that some of the students playing volleyball are playing without shoes. Indeed in primary schools, virtually no 'small' boys or girls would wear shoes for even the roughest sports, including football.
The fortunes of the national football team, the Black Stars, are followed closely through radio and TV at weekends and endlessly scruinised. During worldcup qualifying and the African cup of nations, everyone will be listening or watching the games. The performances of the many youth teams are also taken very seriously. The under 18 team, the Starlets, have won the world cup several times.
