Government to recruit sports officers for Special Needs Children - UPSSA

Uganda Primary Schools' Sports Association (UPSSA) president, William Bwambale, has challenged local governments to adopt sports programs that are structured to welcome children of all abilities, fostering a sense of community and belonging.

Bwambale, speaking at the closing ceremony of the 2026 National Special Needs Education Championship on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at St Mary's Primary School in Mubende Municipality, observed that less attention is given to SNE children when it comes to sports.

"I do encourage all local governments to go into adaptive sports and inclusive recreation programs, which can play a vital role in ensuring that all children, regardless of their abilities, have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of physical activity. By adapting traditional sports and creating supportive environments, we can help children with special needs build confidence, improve their physical health, and experience the joy of being active. It's a step towards creating a more inclusive world where every child can thrive," said Bwambale.

Bwambale said over the years, the Special Needs Education (SNE) sports segment has attracted fewer participants and competing teams, which shows neglect by special needs officers employed by the government at every local government in the country.

Busia are the overal champions in Special Needs category

According to Bwambale, to avoid such scenarios, UPSSA has taken a deliberate step towards improving the level of involvement and participation of children with special needs in sports across the country.

"I want to say, in this year's edition of the UPSSA national ball games here in Mubende, UPSSA went a step further by training officers in a capacity-building programme to equip them with the knowledge and skills required to organise SNE competitions and handle children with special needs at the grassroots level," Bwambale added.

Sam Odong, the Assistant Commissioner of Physical Education, speaking as chief guest at the closing and awards ceremony, announced government plans to recruit sports officers responsible for special needs at every district, so that all children with special needs are given the opportunity to participate in sports.

Odong encouraged teachers to integrate sports skills with academic teaching to ensure students excel both in sports and academics.

At the awards ceremony, Busia District emerged as overall winners, collecting six trophies after winning sitting volleyball in both boys' and girls' categories across the U12 and U14 age groups, in addition to winning Boccia for girls U12 and boys U14.

In the normal categories, by the time of writing this article, Buvuma beat Kyotera 26–19 to win the netball U12 title. Amuria beat hosts Mubende 15–13 to claim the girls U14 handball crown.

Jinja City beat Serere 3–0 to win the boys U12 volleyball title, and Ngora beat Kiira Municipality 3–0 to win the boys U14 volleyball crown, with Mbarara District beating Kumi 3–0 to claim bronze.

UPSSA

SNE WINNERS

Goal Ball

U-12 (Boys)

Koboko

Girls

Mukono

U-14 (Boys)

Arua

Girls

Arua

Showdown

U-14 (Boys)

Maracha

Girls

Maracha

Sitting Volleyball P.I

U-12 (Boys)

Busia

Girls

Busia

U-14 (Boys)

Busia

Girls

Busia

Boccia

U-12 (Boys)

Namayingo

Girls

Busia

U-14 (Boys)

Busia

Girls

Madi Okolo