Students who failed to register on the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) portal last year have received a major boost after the association reopened the system ahead of Term One games.
KSSSA Secretary General David Ngugi confirmed that registration for Form Three and Form Four students will remain open until February 15, running concurrently with the registration of Grade 10 students, as well as decathlon and heptathlon athletes.
According to Ngugi, the decision was reached to assist schools that encountered difficulties during the November registration window, ensuring all eligible students are cleared before Term One competitions kick off nationwide on February 15.
Ngugi revealed that several schools reported challenges caused by teacher transfers, with some instructors leaving their stations without properly handing over registration duties.
In some instances, teams were only partially registered, while in others, login credentials were not passed on, locking students out of the system.
The KSSSA boss emphasized that the association is keen to ensure no talent goes unnoticed, noting that proper data collection is essential for planning future championships and maintaining fairness in school sports.
Online registration was introduced two years ago as part of efforts to eliminate the use of ineligible players during school competitions. Since its implementation, KSSSA says cases of age cheating and eligibility disputes have significantly reduced.
Last year, a number of schools were disqualified from competitions after failing to complete registrations or for fielding overage students.
However, despite welcoming the move, some teachers have raised concerns that reopening the portal could be misused, warning that strict monitoring will be necessary to ensure only genuine students are registered.
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Education