The Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) Chairperson Peter Orero reassured all stakeholders that sporting championships shall begin this year.
Following concerns over the return of extra-curricular activities, KSSSA officials reached a consensus after a four-day meeting in Nakuru alongside their counterparts from the Ministry of Education.
Orero announced that KSSSA and Ministry of Education officials were rightfully concerned that many talented youngsters had been denied the opportunity to develop their skills since the announcement of the first case of the global coronavirus pandemic in March last year.
The new virus, COVID-19, necessitated the closure of all learning institutions as governments sought to limit its spread as research was carried to know more about the disease and come up with a cure as soon as possible.
The KSSSA now wants a quick resumption to norm as far as sporting activities are concerned. They believe this will enable students to use their talent and energy in a productive way.
“The Ministry of Education called a stakeholders meeting to brainstorm on how co-curricular activities can resume in schools and colleges as soon as possible. We were in agreement that we cannot replace the talents currently being wasted with a lack of activities in schools and colleges and have agreed in principle that co-curricular activities must begin as soon as possible,” said Mr. Orero.
Representatives from the Kenya Special Needs Education, Kenya Primary Schools Sports Association, those from Kenya Schools and Colleges Drama Festival, and KSSSA among others attended the meeting that begun on Sunday and ended on Wednesday 26th of May, 2021.
In the meeting, the stakeholders devised a program for the return of co-curricular activities in schools and colleges. The program was forwarded to the Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha for approval.
The Ministry of Education met top KSSSA officials in Kigari, Embu last year to make arrangements for the resumption of sporting activities in schools.
Changes to rules to be used in school games were made and ways of dealing with any possible challenges dealt with while implementing the Ministry of Education’s COVID-19 protocols.
When schools were closed last year, Term One games were disrupted and never resumed. Among those games that were interrupted are hockey, rugby, handball, basketball, and cross country had reached the regional stage.
In the calendar, Term One game shall be held in July 2021, when the first term begins for the Academic year 2021/2022. Among the games that shall be held include Athletics, cross-country, basketball, handball, and hockey.
For term two, games including Soccer, Netball, Volleyball, and Racquet games will be held. The second term starts in October.