Over 200 private schools are urging the government to allocate resources for sports development.
Highlighting a severe shortage of qualified coaches and modern facilities that could undermine the Competency-Based Curriculum’s (CBC) goal of balanced education.
During a sports event at Compuera Mangu Girls in Juja, school administrators stated the challenges posed by inadequate sports infrastructure.
Many institutions must either outsource trainers or travel far to access suitable grounds, they noted.
Mbartha Kanalo, Principal of Compuera Mangu Girls, explained that her school hosted the event due to its capacity to support junior secondary programs. She stressed the need for consistent government funding, asserting that the CBC presents a unique opportunity to bridge the divide between academics,sports and arts.
“The national and county governments should invest more in sports. CBC is the sterling chance to fix this gap and give equal weight to academics and sports,” Kanalo said.
Jane Githinji, Secretary General of the Kasarani Cluster, a group consisting 250 private schools, reinforced this appeal, calling for collaboration between authorities and schools to develop modern sports facilities and train sufficient coaches.
Students also shared their perspectives. Trophy winners Vanesa Wanja and Israel Ngatia advocated for nationwide competitions to uncover and cultivate young talent early.
“Kenya is losing so many talented professionals to other countries because they get support abroad that they don’t get here. We should be proud of our talent and help our schools have modern facilities and well-trained coaches,” Wanja remarked.
The event featured competitions in volleyball, netball, basketball, and football, demonstrating the potential of Kenyan youth when provided with proper resources and opportunities.
Story written by Joshua Makori
