By Roy Hezron
Co-Curricular Activities have fully resumed in all basic learning institutions in Kenya with primary and secondary school Sports and Music Festivals resuming this Second Term of the 2022 School Calendar, while the Kenya Science and Engineering Fair and Drama competitions will be in Term One of Year 2023.
This is revealed in a Circular from the Ministry of Education (MOE) dated July 13, 2022 and signed by the Principal Secretary in the State Department of Early Learning and Basic Education Dr. Julius Jwan to all Regional, County and Sub-County Directors of Education.
The Circular with reference number MOE.HQS/3/4/15/VOL III was copied to the Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha, Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Nancy Macharia and Council of Governors CEO Ms. Mary Mwiti.
This will be a sigh of relief for primary schools, secondary schools and Teacher Training Colleges which have longed for the resumption of sporting activities which were suspended by the government on March 15, 2020 as a measure to curb the outbreak of Covid-19.
According to the Circular, the Second Term games which are soccer, volleyball, netball, racquets, basketball, hockey, handball, rugby and swimming National Championships for both Primary and Secondary Schools will start 9th September and end on 12th September.
“The Ministry of Education in consultation with key stakeholders has now decided that co-curricular activities resume fully in all basic learning institutions. In term two, 2022, primary and secondary school sports will be activated as well as music. The Kenya Science and Engineering Fair and Drama competitions will be in term one year 2023,” said Dr. Jwan in the Circular.
The National Championship games for Secondary Schools will take place in Nakuru County, Primary Schools will be held in Machakos County while Special Needs Education (SNE) Primary and Secondary School ball games will be held at Hill School Primary and Secondary School respectively in Uasin Gishu County; with both teams being expected to arrive in their respective venues on 8th September and later depart on 13th September for preparation and coordination of the East African Championships in Tanzania.
The Federation of East Africa Schools Sports Association (FEASA) Championships which will be held in Arusha, Tanzania will begin on 15th September and end on 23rd September 2022.
The participating teams will be expected to arrive in Arusha a day before the action day and thereafter depart back to Kenya on 24th September and then back to their respective schools on 25th September.
“Schools are therefore advised to start training their teams in preparations for the National Championship and other regional and international championships. The activities will be held mostly during weekends, mid-terms and school holiday,” added Dr. Jwan in the Circular.
The calendar further shows that the action for annual Kenya Music Festival National Championships for schools, colleges and Universities which will be hosted at Maseno University in Kisumu County will start on September 17, 2022 to September 23, 2022 which will later be followed with the Gala at night.
The participants will be expected to report at Maseno University on 16th September with the State Concert being slated for 24th September at Kisumu State Lodge.
“The purpose of this circular is to request you to bring to the attention of all schools and Teacher Training Colleges on these scheduled activities to enable them prepare adequately,” directed Dr. Jwan in the Circular.
In Term one (1) of 2022 School Calendar, both primary and secondary schools were allowed to compete in athletics at all levels for the first time since the global disruption by Covid-19.
The MOE in the then Circular dated June 22, 2022 and signed by A.G. Rukaria on behalf of Dr. Jwan stated that due to the short academic calendar, the Ministry in consultation with stakeholders resolved that Primary and Secondary Schools compete in athletics only at all levels in Term One of 2022 School Calendar.
The National Secondary and Primary Schools Athletics Championship started on July 2, 2022 and ended on July 7, 2022 at Kigari Teachers Training College in Embu County; while that for Special Needs Primary and Secondary Schools started on July 2, 2022 to July 4, 2022 at Machakos Teachers Training College in Machakos County with Regional Championships ending on June 30, 2022 countrywide.
The Championships prepared the qualifying athletes to participate in World under 20 trials.
By the time of suspension of all Co-Curricular Activities in learning institutions, term one 2020 games by then had reached county levels.
On October 18, 2021, the Ministry of Health recommended that inter-school sporting activities may gradually resume with strict adherence to the guidelines prepared by MOE in February 2021.
