Vihiga County secondary school games, which had been highly anticipated, were postponed over the weekend due to lack of funds. The whole of Western Kenya was affected by this decision. Students and coaches reacted with shock and disbelief. The games, which were originally set to take place on June 19-23, are now set to happen on July 4-6 subject to the release of capitation funds.
Background
This has been affirmed by Tom Aura, the KSSSA Vihiga County vice-chairman, who claimed to have received communication from the director of education in an allegation letter from David Koech. In the present financial crisis, most schools have been affected, especially day school aspects, making it hard to present teams for the said competition.
Reasons for Postponement
Financial Crisis
Lack of funds took center stage in the rescheduling. According to Aura, many schools have not received 30 percent of their Term One capitation, which has therefore added more burden to their budgets. Some expenses had already been catered for by the schools in qualification for the county finals, therefore going ahead to conduct the games without adequate funds was not possible.
Communication from Authorities
Koech addressed the coaching department and said it was a Western region decision. Financial constraints at the zonal level have made it hard for schools to accommodate expenses needed for the competition.
Impact on Schools and Students
Delayed Competitions
The delay will affect different sporting activities in various schools. The zone event was to take place in Luanda sub-county, with basketball taking place in Bunyore Girls’ High School. Others include football, netball, lawn tennis, table tennis, badminton, and rugby that were scheduled to take place in various places.
Potential Injuries and Preparation
One of the reasons Aura was worried about was the effect this would have on the teams. Mostly on injuries. If the games were postponed, this meant that the players would lose a very vital time to train, hence standing at a disadvantage at regional levels. It takes some time for injured players to heal, and with the postponement, most of them might not be fit to represent their teams well in the other competitions that will follow.
Future Plans and Considerations
Rescheduled Dates
The new dates scheduled for the games shall now be July 4-6, subject to the availability of capitation funds. This decision was made in order to ensure that adequate resources are provided to the schools with respect to effectively participating in the competitions.
Regional Impact
The postponement affects not only Vihiga County but the entire Western Kenya region as well. Most schools are therefore constrained by the previous dates, so the change in date will help them source some funds to participate. It ensures a fair share of competition since many institutions face financial constraints; hence, the change in the date will help them source more funds.
Ensuring Fair Competition
There are several reasons the games may need to be staged as earlier planned: this will ensure no team is disadvantaged. You see, schools will not be deprived of some key players due to injury or as a result of other unforeseen circumstances that may affect them at the regional level.