USSSA investigates 10 schools over age cheating and document forgery allegations

The Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) has initiated a formal investigation into ten secondary schools following serious allegations of age cheating and academic document forgery.

The probe comes after the association uncovered evidence suggesting systematic manipulation of student ages to gain unfair competitive advantages.

In an official statement released by USSSA CEO Christopher Mugisha, the association detailed how some students, allegedly with institutional support, have been deliberately retaking Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) while falsifying birth dates. This scheme allows older students to fraudulently compete in younger age categories.

"Our verification systems have identified multiple suspicious cases where students appear to have manipulated their academic records to alter age eligibility," the statement read. "This misconduct fundamentally threatens the integrity of school sports competitions."

The association has taken immediate action by temporarily deactivating all implicated athletes from competition pending further investigation. Affected schools have received formal notifications regarding their students' provisional suspensions.

Among the institutions under investigation are several prominent schools: Elite High School Entebbe, Jinja City College Mafu, May Christian College Nkumba, Adjumani Model SS, St. James SS, Kibibi Standard SS, Adropi SS, Lawa SS, Parigirinya SS, and Camboni Comprehensive College.

A joint investigative committee comprising USSSA officials and representatives from the Department of Physical Education and Sports will conduct thorough hearings with all involved parties, including school administrators, sports teachers, and the accused students.

This latest crackdown follows recent disciplinary action against five schools currently serving two-year bans for similar violations. The banned institutions - St. Andrews Kaggwa Gombe High School, Royal Giants High School, Tororo Town College, Madinah Islamic SS, and Musana Vocational High School - were penalized for offenses including age cheating, fielding ineligible players, misconduct, and document forgery.

Age cheating remains a persistent challenge in Ugandan school sports, distorting fair competition and hindering genuine talent development. In response, USSSA has implemented stricter verification protocols, including enhanced document authentication processes and more severe penalties for violations.

The association has also issued renewed warnings against all forms of misconduct, including falsification of academic or sports records, emphasizing that such offenses will result in severe sanctions. USSSA officials stress their commitment to maintaining fair play and preserving the integrity of school sports competitions across Uganda.