The Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSA) has outlined its strategic focus areas for the 2024/25 sporting year following a productive symposium held at Wash & Wills Hotel in Mbale.
The symposium, attended by key stakeholders, aimed to streamline school sports across East Africa by addressing several core issues.
The symposium concentrated on establishing a uniform mode of competition and standardizing rules and regulations across all member countries.
Additionally, the discussions emphasized the need for sourcing funds to support school sports, advocating for government backing, and increasing awareness of FEASSA, the International School Sport Federation (ISF), and other school sports programs.
Among the significant outcomes of the symposium was the agreement on strategic areas for the upcoming year.
These areas are expected to foster the growth and inclusivity of school sports within the region.
FEASSA plans to expand its range of sports disciplines by onboarding new categories.
This expansion will include mind games such as Scrabble, Chess, and Ludo; combat sports like Boxing, Taekwondo, Judo, and Karate; beach games such as Volleyball, Soccer, and Woodball; Futsal (a 7-a-side version of football); and DanceSport.
This initiative is aimed at promoting a broader range of talents and interests among students.
Mass sports participation will be encouraged to ensure inclusivity and wider engagement among students. In a move to maintain integrity in competitions, FEASSA will also prioritize eliminating age cheating, which has been a recurring issue in school sports.
FEASSA aims to leverage technology to aid in the development of school sports. This includes the use of digital platforms for managing competitions, training, and talent identification.
The integration of technology is seen as a crucial step in modernizing sports management and enhancing the experience for both athletes and spectators.
A significant strategic shift will involve integrating primary school sports within the FEASSA framework. This is intended to build a stronger foundation for sports development from an early age.
Additionally, FEASSA will seek to position East African schools on the global stage by participating in international competitions, providing students with opportunities to compete at higher levels.
To ensure the effective implementation of these strategies, FEASSA will focus on strengthening member associations within the region.
Furthermore, advocacy for school sports will continue to be a priority, with efforts aimed at securing more substantial support from governments and other stakeholders.
