Government to release school games calendar

The government has given primary and secondary schools the go ahead to kick off their sports and co-curricular activities before end of the term following a two-year break occasioned by Covid-19 pandemic.

Primary and secondary school games were hit hardest by the pandemic as they have not resumed since March 2020, when the government banned all sporting activities in the country after the first Covid-19 case was reported in the country.

However speaking on Wednesday, State Department of Early Learning and Basic Education Director General, Elyas Abdi said they were now confident that it was safe to stage the activities.

Speaking at St Mark Teachers Training College, Kigari in Embu County during this year’s inter collegiate athletics championships, Abdi said they had used teachers training colleges as a  preamble to resumption in all schools.

“We started with ball games then athletics to test if it can start in primary and secondary sub sectors. Now we are confident enough that we can set the ball rolling in both primary and secondary education.

“There is nothing to fear and we can now confidently say that we can now start before the end of the term,” he said.

There has been anxiety in primary and secondary schools since the Ministry of Education was yet to release a substantive calendar of events, though they had been told to prepare for athletics.

Abdi said the ministry has already planned for resumption and would communicate with various sports associations.

He said the ministry emphasized on teaching of co-curricular activities alongside the formal curriculum which resumed last year.

“They are no longer extracurricular activities, meaning that we see athletics as important as mathematics or physics taught in class. You have seen some of the pupils excel in life after pursuing athletics,” said Abdi.

The official announced that the ministry was working on a proposal for teachers colleges to participate in East Africa games in a bid to expose them to opportunities out there.

Secondary and primary schools in the country have been taking part in regional sports where they square it out with their East African counterparts.

“As teachers who will be in class, we want you to take seriously the co-curricular aspect of our education… When you take learners to a football match, take it as a subject and even prepare for it… We want teachers who not only walk to class but also impart knowledge,” he said.

Kenya Teachers Colleges Sports Association chairman, James Muguna said they were happy to host the first sporting activity after resumption of activities following Covid-19 pandemic.

He appealed for increased funding so that they can effectively help their students actively engage in co-curricular activities.