The Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) chairperson Peter Orero has moved to assure all interested parties that sporting championships will begin this year.
The decision was made during a four-day meeting that KSSSA officials and their other officials from the Ministry of Education attended in Nakuru.
Orero revealed concern from both KSSSA and Ministry of Education officials that many talented young people have been denied the opportunity to express their skills following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
Following the closure of all learning in schools in March last year to curb the spread of COVID-19, KSSSA championships were suspended. Now the officials feel the championships should resume so that students can use their talent and energy in productive ways.
During the prolonged closure of all learning institutions, Term One games including basketball, hockey, handball, and rugby, and cross country stalled after reaching the regional stages. The games never resumed up to now.
“The Ministry of Education held a stakeholders meeting to contemplate 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 by lack of activities in schools and colleges and have agreed in principle that co-curricular activities must begin soonest possible,” Orero told Nation Sport.
The meeting began on Sunday and ended on Wednesday and was attended by officials from KSSSA, Kenya Special Needs Education, Kenya Primary Schools Sports Association, and others from the Kenya Schools and Colleges Drama Festival.
Following the meeting, all parties developed a program for resuming co-curricular activities in schools and colleges. The program was then forwarded to the Cabinet Secretary for Education Prof George Magoha for approval.
Orero gave an indication that co-curricular activities could resume in July.
In 2020, the Ministry of Education held a meeting with KSSSA officials in Kigari, Embu to come up with guidelines for resuming sporting activities.
During the meeting, KSSSA officials went through and made changes to the rules to be used during school games and suggested ways of tackling challenges that could arise during the implementation of COVID-19 protocols.