KSSSA releases tough new rules to curb cheating
What you need to know:
- Fresh regulations adopted last month in Embu
- The rules, adopted during a stakeholders meeting in Embu last month, come as this year’s Term One regional games get underway in different regions Thursday.
Students who repeat classes will be locked out of the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) games for one year, according to new rules mooted by the association to arrest cheating and ensure fairness.
Similarly, no school will be allowed to poach more than two players from a single school.
Kenyan students returning home after studies in foreign countries will also stay out for one year before they can be allowed to take part KSSSA games. At the same time, foreigners joining Kenyan schools will also be locked out for the same period of time.
Together with another rule that has limited the age of participants to below 19 years, the new rules will ensure only genuine students take part in school games.
“The new rules will be followed to the letter to ensure fairness in the games,” Robert Mukhwana, the KSSSA assistant secretary, said.
“Some students have in the past been forced to repeat classes, sadly for up to four years in some cases, just to have them play for their schools. This denies them an opportunity to complete their education on time while locking out other students who deserve to participate in the games,” Mukhwana said.
NOTORIOUS FOR POACHING
He regretted that some schools were notorious for poaching players and then forcing them to repeat classes so as to play for their new schools.
Mukhwana, who is a teacher at PAG Magale in Kakamega, said a student who transfers must now have names of their former school, dates of departure and class at the time of leaving, clearly indicated in the new school identity card to ease verification. The student must also have a transfer letter.
KSSSA secretary general David Ngugi noted that students were moving from one school to another without official documents, something he said had, contributed to cheating. “This will not be allowed,” he said.
The rules, adopted during a stakeholders meeting in Embu last month, come as this year’s Term One regional games get underway in different regions Thursday.
