LIPULI FC NEEDS MORE THAN 800 MILLIONS TO LIVE UP TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE

AFTER 1-1 draw against Young Africa SC of Dar es Salaam, Lipuli FC of Iringa coach, Mr. Selemani Matola has talked about their opponents by saying that even if their game would be 200 minutes never could Young Africa SC win.

The teams met in the Mainland at the Uhuru Stadium in Dar, last Saturday   where Lipuli was well-known to Yanga and made the defender champions unemployed in both periods. 

Simba's former midfielder have discussed the game by saying that Yanga had no alternatives, but their plan was the same as they also used in the Soccer Games against Simba. 

However, Lipuli FC of Iringa requires more than Sh 800 million so that it can it do well due the Vodacom Premier League (VPL).

Lipuli FC has returned to the league, after 17 years of absence and it is the only team playing le premier league from Iringa region.

Recently, Iringa Regional Commissioner Ms. Amina Masenza, organized a fundraising event to contribute towards the club in parallel to introduce the squad soccer fans and stakeholders and eat food with team.

Earlier on, Lipuli Planning and Finance Committee Chairman of the Mr. Jullie Sawani said the amount of money is needed for the club's team to travel, allowances and salaries of players and coach and technical team experts.

And due the fundraising, Iringa Districti Commissioner Mr. Richard Kasesela asked residents of the municipality of Iringa and Iringa generally make the team do well by contributing to pushing the wheel for football development and the Iringa region.

Acting Iringa Regional Commissioner, Jamhuri William, who is also the head of the Mufindi district, said the Iringa government would continue to be with the team because it boasted his presence in the league.

"We know that running cost for league team is big, but we also know that the team cannot do well without our support, so it is important that we urge stakeholders to help us. The promise of the Iringa government is to help get the stakeholders, "she said.

Lipuli FC Spokesman, Clement Sanga named the players who are being coached by Seleman Matolla, that includes Alli Mtoni, Mohamed Yusuph, Tola Mwangonela, Ramadhani Madebe, Fadhili Butam, Mervyn Alistotle, Husein Dumba, Zamoyoni Pangapanga na Joseph Owino.

Others Samwel Nkomola, Moka Msafiri, Emannuel Kichiba, Mussa Ngunda, Fredy Tangalo, Doto Kayombo, Martin Kazila, Malimi Busungu, Omega Kabuje, Salum Machaku, Lambela Ruben, Ahamed Manzi, Kwasi Asante, Paulo Ngelema, Mussa Chibwabwa, Novatus Lufunga, Seif Rashid, Aghaton Mkwando na Waziri Hussein.

Also the chairperson of Lipuli FC is called Ramadhan Mahano.  (BY FRIDAY SIMBAYA)

St Olave's allows rejected sixth-formers to return to school

Grammar school had told pupils who failed to get Bs or above in exams that they could not continue A-level studies

Lawyers acting for some of the affected families had issued judicial review proceedings against St Olave’s. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA

Sally Weale, David Pegg and Richard Adams

The grammar school revealed to be systematically pushing pupils out halfway through the sixth form has dramatically backed down and said that all affected pupils will be able to rejoin the school next week without conditions.

Pressure from parents taking legal action and media coverage following the Guardian’s revelations has seen St Olave’s grammar school in Orpington, south-east London, change its stance and drop its stringent academic requirements, which had seen pupils who had not achieved top marks being abruptly told to leave midway though their A-level courses.

The affair has lifted a lid on the possibly illegal practice designed to boost a school’s league table position, carried out at a number of high-achieving schools across England, despite schools being unable to exclude pupils for reasons other than behaviour. Friday’s development will put pressure on other schools which follow the same practice to reconsider their policies. 

St Olave’s leadership and governing body have declined to respond or comment publicly since the Guardian’s revelations were first published this week. But on Friday evening a statement was finally issued on the school’s behalf by the diocese of Chichester.

“Following a review of the school’s policy on entry to year 13, the headmaster and governors of St Olave’s grammar school have taken the decision to remove this requirement and we have today written to all parents of pupils affected to explain this and offer them the opportunity to return to the school and continue their studies,” it said.

“Our aim as a school has been and continues to be to nurture boys who flourish and achieve their full potential academically and in life generally. Our students can grow and flourish, making the very best of their talents to achieve success.”

A number of parents and pupils among those affected at St Olave’s said they remained unhappy that the school had imposed the policy under its controversial headteacher, Aydin Önaç, and that they were unlikely to return when the new term starts on Monday, despite the climbdown. 

Headteacher Aydin Önaç. Photograph: St Olave's website

Others said they were waiting to discuss the offer further with the families of those sixth-formers who were told at the end of the summer term that they should leave the school.

One parent said they had already spent a substantial sum of money trying to reserve a place for their child at a different school.

“We’re happy they’ve accepted the fact that it was wrong. We’re happy because it won’t happen again. But we’re confused now, because we all looked at plan B, and we’ve got to start thinking twice now,” he said. 

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“We’re financially out of pocket, because we took the plunge to continue education with the way we thought was the best way, by going independent. We were rushing around trying to find the money.”

Önaç, who has been the headmaster since 2007, has made no public comment. Alan Wooley, the school’s bursar, told the Guardian that Önaç was “currently away from the school on a private family matter”.

Another parent, whose child had been told they would only be allowed to return if they signed a contract, said they were pleased the policy had been reversed but that it was not a resolution to issues with the school’s leadership or provision of pastoral care.

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“It’s a start,” the parent said. “It doesn’t solve the problems at the school at all.”

Some students had been told they would be allowed to continue on a discretionary basis and that if they did not get a minimum B grade in mock exams the school might not enter them for their A-level exams.

Lawyers acting for two families affected by the policy have issued judicial review proceedings against the school’s governing body, also naming Bromley, the local authority responsible for maintaining the school, as an interested party. A hearing had been set for 20 September.

Dan Rosenberg, a lawyer from Simpson Millar solicitors who has been acting for the families involved, said his clients would now seek to agree a consent order with St Olave’s. “That the school has reversed its position and dropped its policy is to be welcomed,” Rosenberg said. “We would expect all other schools with similar policies to do the same.”

Jo Johnson, the MP for Orpington and minister for higher education, said: “I welcome this sensible shift in approach by St Olave’s and I’m glad the pupils concerned will now have a chance to complete their sixth form at this exceptional school.”

Dozens of parents and pupils contacted the Guardian with similar stories from different areas of the country, with pupils being ejected halfway through their A-level or GCSE courses for fear of poor results.

The Department for Education said in a statement: “Our regulations make clear that schools are not allowed to remove pupils from a sixth form because of academic attainment once they are enrolled. Excluding pupils temporarily or permanently for non-disciplinary reasons is unlawful.”