Education Ministry cracks down on ineligible players in Trans Nzoia schools

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GENERAL Education Ministry cracks down on ineligible players in Trans Nzoia schools

Festus Chuma 06:35 - 05.07.2023

Ministry of Education cracks down on ineligibility concerns, urges stakeholder support.

In an effort to maintain fairness and integrity in school championships, the Trans Nzoia Director of Education, Pamela Akello, has issued a stern warning to school principals and headteachers.

In a letter dated Tuesday 4 July, Akello emphasized the importance of talent development and highlighted the responsibility of educational leaders in ensuring that only eligible students participate in various teams.

"It is the responsibility of Heads of Institutions, Coaches, and Teachers presenting teams to the County Championship to ensure that only eligible students as per the activity rules are admissible to the various teams,” the letter stated.

She further emphasized that any cases of suspected ineligibility must be reported in writing to the activity secretary within the specified timeframe, following the guidelines outlined in the activity constitution.

To enforce these regulations, the County Director of Education stated that her office, in collaboration with relevant Sports Associations, would ensure compliance and impose corresponding penalties for violations.

Furthermore, she emphasized that appropriate administrative and disciplinary actions would be taken against teachers involved, including the head of the institution, for facilitating ineligible players in the teams.

Akello also called for the support of all stakeholders, including Associations and Unions, to back this initiative and ensure the integrity of school championships.

This crackdown comes as a response to previous incidents where schools were disqualified for fielding ineligible players.

One notable case occurred in May 2023 when Koyonzo Secondary School was disqualified from the Western Region Secondary Schools Term One Games for fielding an ineligible player during a match against Butula Boys High School.

The rule specifies that only students who have been in their respective schools for a minimum of 90 days before the official commencement of the games are eligible to participate.

To prevent age cheating and impersonation, schools are required to enter each student's Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) on a special declaration form. The form also includes the student's full name, Form/Class, admission number, date of admission, date of birth, KCPE index number, and the KCPE year.

Both the coach or games teacher and the principal must sign the declaration form to confirm that the participating players are bonafide students.

In addition to ensuring eligibility, the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) has implemented measures to regulate foreign players and inter-school transfers.

Schools are allowed a maximum of four foreign players in team games, with a maximum of three foreign players in basketball, hockey, rugby, volleyball, netball, and handball matches.

The KSSSA has also imposed a limit of two-player transfers between schools to curb excessive movements and maintain fair competition.

By enforcing these strict measures, education officials in Trans Nzoia aim to uphold the integrity of school championships and discourage age cheating and corruption at all levels of sports.

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