S1 and S2 to compete separately in schools championships

Lira.

Education and Sports minister Janet Museveni has said that Senior One and Two classes will compete separately in Secondary Schools championships to enable them build their skills.

She said this in her speech read by the Commissioner for Physical Education Lamex Omara Apita on Wednesday during the opening ceremony of Secondary Schools Ball Games II competitions at Dr Obote College play grounds in Lira district.

Ms Museveni was expected to officiate over the opening ceremony. However, she did not turn up and instead delegated Mr Apita.

“Government has introduced separate competitions for S1 and S2 to enable young learners appropriately transit to the more matured U-19 school teams effective next year,” the speech read.

The development is part of the new strategy the ministry has laid with new emphasis in promoting physical education and sports to ensure Uganda earn more gold and global recognition.

She said most talent is lost in lower secondary level since the students get scared and fear to compete with ‘mature fellows’ who have progressed more than them.

“We have also introduced age-appropriate competitions at primary schools with a keen look at skills development through competition-skills testing for primary schools at the ball games championship,” part of the speech read.

Both Dr Obote College and St Catherine Girls’ School in Lira that are part of the designated 32 secondary schools marked by government as centers of sports excellence across, are hosting the one-week event that kicked off with girls’ 1500m race and ends over the weekend.

Meanwhile Omara Apita tasked the organizers to ensure that they field a very strong team to represent Uganda in the upcoming East African Schools games scheduled for August at St Joseph’s College Layibi in Gulu district.

“I therefore expect the participants to perform to their very best so that they are selected to be part of our team and compete with teams from other countries in the upcoming tournament,” he said.

In an interview, Haji Ali Mugagga the president of Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) said that 50 districts are participating in the event and three strong teams will be selected from each game category.

“This year we have 50 districts compared to 34 of last year with at least 3600 participants and 250 officials.

We have 26 Handball teams, six Rugby 7s teams, 90 Athletics teams, 96 Volleyball teams filed for the championship,” he said.