Kitgum to host 2024 Primary Schools Games

Kitgum district has been confirmed as the hosts of the 2024 National Primary Schools' Kids' Athletics and Para-Games Championships.

The championship due for May 5-16, will be played alongside the Para-Games at Kitgum Public Primary School in Kitgum.

A two-week event will involve children U-12, U-14 and U-16 showcasing their talents in different disciplines ranging from 60 metre sprint, 4x1500 metre relay, 800 metres, 16-5 multiple jumps, javelin, shotput, discus and long jump, among others.

“We are very happy that our request has been positively responded to by the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) in collaboration with the Uganda Primary Schools Games Association (UPSGA). We are ready to host and we hope to make it a successful event ever," said Robert Samada, the Kumi District Sports Officer

Pauline Musigire, the chairperson of Uganda Primary Schools' Sports Association said Kitgum was granted hosting rights after an inspection exercise was carried out from January 9 to 13 by the ministry of Education and Sports, district sports representatives and Uganda Primary Schools' Sports delegation.

Musigire said Kitgum had all the facilities that were needed for a district to qualify to host the national competition.

Rev Can Duncan Mugumya, the commissioner for Physical Education and Sports (PES) in the Ministry of Education and Sports on several occasions has issued a warning to all district CAOs and Education Officers to ensure that the money which the government sends to districts for sports should be used for the right purpose.

Mugumya said sports have no district leader who should divert sports money to run a different activity.

According to Mugumya, the government of Uganda sends shs10m to every district quarterly for sports activities, which districts have diverted to other activities.

He said any district that fails to send athletes to the national championships at the primary level should be ready to face the law.  

“Co-curricular activities as stipulated in the primary school syllabus, fall under creative arts and physical education (CAPE) which the Education Ministry requires that every learner must experience alongside academics to keep them physically fit, refreshed in class and interested in studies” he noted.

Mugumya said poor attitude towards co-curricular activities always frustrates talent development among the youth at the grass root level.