Sharing in excitement of the World Cup build-up

Sbu Mkhize spent an afternoon at St Mary's Catholic Primary School talking to pupils about next year's football global showpiece.

He inspired the youngsters to imagine they were in his homeland of South Africa where the build-up to next year's competition is already well under way.

Poetry, essays and art could all flow from the growing sense of anticipation of the world's top footballers appearing in a country boycotted just a few decades ago because of apartheid.

Sbu said: "New stadiums and new roads have been built for the World Cup and our transport system has been changed to cope with all the fans.

"Places of residence have also been built. My country is sports mad and all the sports have united behind soccer for the World Cup."

Secondary school teacher Sbu will continue his football-themed talks when he resumes his regular live video conferencing links with St Mary's after he returns to South Africa.

The IT connection has existed for three years. It has enabled children at the Glamis Street school to speak to their counterparts in the Imbali township in Pietermaritzburg.

But Sbu's 25-day visit to the Bognor area was the first time he had met them. The link has been arranged through the University of Chichester's second year primary education and teaching students.

He said: "The schools in this area compared to those in South Africa are in a very advantageous position.

"The schools are advanced, they have the resources they need and the pupils get very close attention from their teachers. I believe their potential is realised here."

LEARNING FROM OUTDOOR PLAY

Sbu Mkhize, who stayed with a host couple in Glamis Street,

said he was puzzled by the lack of children playing outside compared to South Africa, where every open space was used as a playground.

"Children in South Africa will create something to play around on every open space," he said.

"They learn from their environment doing that. They even learn from falling down. But here the children seem to prefer being indoors playing on computers."

Sbu saw plenty of sights and sounds during his stay in Bognor.

They included a trip to the cinema and becoming an honorary Pompey fan by watching them play Sunderland at home in the Premier League.