The Ministry of Education has tightened measures to safeguard the integrity of school sports by directing that only bona fide learners participate in national competitions through mandatory verification on the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS).
Speaking during the official opening of the 2026 National Term Two School Games at M-Pesa Foundation Academy in Thika, Principal Secretary for Basic Education John Ololtuaa said the ministry will use KEMIS to eliminate cases of over-age players, ineligible participants, and outsiders who have in the past compromised the credibility of school competitions.
“I wish to underscore the importance of the mandatory digital registration and verification of all learners through KEMIS, our Ministry’s education data platform,” said Ololtuaa.
“KEMIS provides a reliable way of verifying the identity and eligibility of student-athletes and ensures that only genuine learners compete and that all schools participate on a level playing field,” said KEMIS CEO, Dr Terence Mkhwanazi.
According to the PS, data generated through the system will also support talent identification, policy formulation, resource allocation, and monitoring of learner participation in sports.
Ololtuaa urged school heads, teachers, coaches and Ministry of Education field officers to ensure that learner records are accurate, complete and regularly updated, adding that sound decisions depend on credible data.
He stressed that school sports should be governed by transparent constitutions and rules on eligibility, registration, discipline, age groups and settling disputes to safeguard the fairness and credibility of competitions.
“These rules are fundamental to the integrity, fairness, and credibility of our games, and I urge every stakeholder to familiarize themselves with and comply with them,” he said.
The PS also warned schools against retaining learners in the same class or encouraging them to repeat grades simply to strengthen their teams and gain an unfair competitive advantage. He said such practices undermine the spirit of education, insisting that school sports should nurture talent, discipline, and character rather than serve as a recruitment platform.
“Our rules must protect learners from practices such as inappropriate retention or prolonged repetition for sporting advantage. School sports must remain about education, not recruitment,” he said.
Ololtuaa urged stakeholders to utilize established complaints, jury, and appeals mechanisms whenever disputes arise instead of rushing to court, saying litigation often delays competitions and diverts attention from learners.
He called on teachers and coaches to mentor learners; officials and referees to discharge their duties with professionalism and integrity; and parents to support young people while ensuring sports complement their academic development.
The week-long championships have brought together learners from secondary schools across the country, reflecting the government’s commitment to holistic, competency-based education through sports.
