The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Julius Migos, has stated that the government has integrated sports into the education system as the country transitions to the Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC), emphasizing that the sports pathway is essential.
Migos added that the ministry will provide the necessary infrastructure in the schools in all the 47 counties for the learners to compete fairly having participated from the lower levels.
He said this year the government has also mainstreamed students with special needs and they are participating in the programme with the rest of the students.
He noted the ministry will ensure that it has integrated the whole sport system for all learners since sports is a critical component of CBC that the government is handling to ensure there is no discrimination against any of the students.
He further encouraged parents of special needs learners to allow their children to participate in the games because it’s for nurturing talent and some of them have shown very good talent.
The CS added that sponsors and partners have come on board to watch the game which is an opportunity to the children who will showcase excellent talent to get sponsorships.
“Scouts are around watching to see what the students are doing so that they can tap them for their other clubs. The Federation of Rugby team is handling the rugby section,” he said.
Speaking in Mombasa during the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) the CS said that sports is an encouraging space the government has provided the students to showcase their talents.
He noted that the talent is there but due to lack of facilities in the schools participants do not have the tactical experience, making it difficult to exhibit the high level performance because some of the facilities required for training are lacking, with the ministry promising to provide equipment to the schools.
Migos also expressed gratitude to Brookside Dairy Limited, the main sponsor of the games for the partnership in sponsoring the sports through the provision of equipment, establishment of some fields, sports gears, among other requirements.
He encouraged other sponsors that sports is a good area to exhibit Corporate Social Responsibilities (CRS) thus asking them to come in large numbers and nurture talents.
He noted that after going round he loved the arrangement of the games adding that the programs were going on well.
“This is the first time the games are done in an Olympic kind of manner with all the sports being undertaken at the same time within a specified period of time. This is a chance for our students to engage and learn how to compete fairly, meet people from other regions and make friendships and understand the need to ensure that sports is part and parcel of our education system,” said the CS.
The games that were played are rugby, basketball, hand ball, swimming, hockey, athletics and adapted sports for learners with special needs.
By Chari Suche
