Soroti named 72 athletes to represent the district in the 2024 National Primary School teams of young boys and girls were named during the district zonal championship at Soroti City Sports Ground on April 17.   ics and Para- games in Kitgum district next month.

The teams of young boys and girls were named during the district zonal championship at Soroti City Sports Ground on April 17.   

Nicholas Opio, the Soroti District Sports Officer, says the number of athletes selected to represent the district in the championship has increased because the competition was high and many passed the qualification standards.

“We are looking at taking boys and girls under the category of U-12 and U-14 who will be able to obtain points for the district l. It is from this background that I express optimism that our performance at the national level this year will be better,” said Opio.

The boys and girls will be exhibiting skills in 50 meters hurdles, 60 metres flat race, swing, shot put, javelin, 50 by 4 metres relays, and cross country in a ten-days championship hosted at Kitgum Public School, Kitgum district starting from May 12th  to 22nd, 2024.

Kitgum district was chosen as the host of the 2024 national primary school kids athletics and Para- games before the Luwero district hosted them in 2023.

However, Rev Can Duncan Mugumya, the Commissioner for Physical Education and Sports (PES) at the Ministry of Education and Sports on several occasions has issued a warning to all district CAOs and Education Officers to ensure that money that the government sent to districts for sports should be used for the rightful purpose.

Mugumya said sports being one of the components in the sports ministry's calendar and fully being funded, no district leader should divert money to run a different activity.

According to Mugumya, the government of Uganda through the ministry sends shs 10m to every district quarterly for sports activities, which districts have diverted to their plans.

He said any district that fails to send athletes to take part in the national championship 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 toward co-curricular activities always frustrates talent development among the youth at the grassroots level.