The government is introducing new sports in school competitions to provide more opportunities for learners in Special Needs Education (SNE) to participate.
The sports introduced during this year’s national school competition are showdown and blind football for learners who are Visually Impaired (VI).
The two add to the growing list of games being adapted from regular sports for learners in Special Needs Education (SNE), as the country continues to implement the Competency-Based Education (CBE).
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Eveleen Mitei, said the government will rely on Special Needs Education (SNE) teachers to train learners on the sports science pathway.
She was speaking while inspecting the ongoing national school sports competition at Booker Academy in Kakamega County, noting that they have the necessary expertise to prepare and nurture learners with special needs so they are not left behind as CBC takes off.
This comes as the government, together with other partners, continues to provide the necessary equipment and train SNE teachers in different sports for learners with special needs.
Besides the Showdown and blind football, the SNE learners have been participating in goalball, netball, futsal, tenniquoite, throwball, handball and basketball among other sports.
The National Chair for the Visually Impaired, Charles Sigei, noted that learners with special needs will proceed to the Federation of East Africa Games, which will still be held in Kakamega later this month.
“For a long time since the inception of the FEASSA games, we have only had goalball for the visually impaired. But this year, we will have two additional sports: showdown and blindfootball at the East Africa Games,” he added.
He noted that the sports are enabling the learners with special needs to gain exposure, interact with one another, and be prepared to earn a living through sports.
Sigei said they have received support from organizations such as Alive and Kicking and the Kenya Sports Association for the Visually Impaired (KESAVI).
The 3×3 basketball for junior boys and girls with Hearing Impairment (HI) was introduced last year for learners with special needs and is being played for the first time at the National School competitions this year.
The Basketball Coordinator for Special Needs Education (SNE) at the national level, Arwonyo Eric, said that the 3×3 basketball game is played by four players per side: three on the court and one reserve.
“It is being played for a maximum of 10 minutes, and if a team scores 21 points in less than 10 minutes, then we call it ‘sadden death.’ The game is over,” he explained.
The National Secretary for Deafblind sports, Joshua Kipsang Kendagor, noted that the Deafblind Games began in 2012 at Dagoretti High School as a pilot, and since then, the number of participants has continued to increase.
“We need more learners with special needs to participate, as it gives them exposure, helps them socialize and allows them to exercise. Through play, they develop better hand-eye coordination, and the sports help strengthen and build their muscles, supporting both gross and fine motor skills,” he explained.
The project manager of Tucheze Pia, a special programme by the Alive and Kicking organization, Andrew Oloo, noted that they are targeting to train teachers from 82 schools to support over 4, 000 students with visual impairments as they continue to promote SNE games.
“We have already trained 23 teachers from seven counties. Those schools received sound balls. This is our second SNE event, where the winners of the goalball competition will receive sound balls,” he added.
Martin Kamau, an official from the Kenya Sports Association for the Visually Impaired (KESAVI), noted that the association is ready to support learners with special needs to excel in their sporting activities, participate in international competitions, and pursue sports as a career.
“As the Visually Impaired (VI), we normally participate in the International Blind Sports Association (IBSA) games. It is an opportunity to showcase talent,” he added.
Kamau said special needs learners who will proceed to the East Africa Games will also be selected by KESAVI to participate in International competitions scheduled for March next year.
By Moses Wekesa
