CONCERNS AS SCHOOLS PREVENT LEARNERS FROM PARTICIPATION IN ATHLETICS

Staff of Ediofe Boys and Ediofe Girls receiving the Overall winner’s trophy. All photos by Godwin Abedican.

By Godwin Abedican

Arua

The interschools primary schools’ Athletics competitions for Pajulu zone came to an end with the defending champions Ediofe boys and Ediofe girls combined retaining their overall winners’ trophy.
 
The athletics competitions held on Thursday 3 and Friday 4 April 2025 saw 16 schools taking part in the under 12 years category (U12) an the under 14 years category (U14) for both boys and girls.
 
Speaking during the awarding ceremony, Nyakuni Stanley, the chairperson Pajulu zone games and sports committee expressed concerns over some schools not allowing learners to participate in games beyond school level even when they have been spotted as the best performers.
 
“To the games and sports teachers together with their head teachers, please, if a child is identified from your school to represent Pajulu zone in the next level of the competitions, please do us a favor, send this child for training. We have ever faced challenges with some schools whereby, when we identify participants from them, they don’t want to send these participants. Don’t stop with their talents here, we want them to go and exhibit these talents ahead,” he said while closing the competitions.
 
Nyakuni Stanley, the chairperson Pajulu zone games and
sports committee speaking during the closure of the games.
 
As per the results, in the under 12 boy’s category, Ediofe boys scored 1,266 points to become champions while Ediofe girls won the girls under 12 categories with 1,112 points.
 
However, the under 14 category staged big shocks as Skyland Nursery and primary school walked away with the girls under 14 trophy and Little Angels primary school won the U14 boys category trophy with 903 points.
 
In the overall winners’ results, With the two Ediofe boys and girls combined, they retained the overall winner’s trophy for U12 after getting 2,378 points followed by Ondupara with 1,751 and Driwala primary school came third with 1,488 points.
 
Andema Romance, the games teacher Ediofe Boys primary school associate the failure to retaining the under 14 boys’ and girls’ trophy to the vigorous screening process.
 
“As far as the screening issue is concerned, I was fairly affected. Most of my boys were screened off. For under 14, four if my boys were screened off and I was left wit only 2 boys m3eanwhie on our girls’ side 3 were screened off and only 3 participated. So, it was a very big challenge for us and I think there we had already lost marks,” he said in an interview.

Andema Romans, the games teacher Ediofe Boys primary school.

Each school was supposed to present 6 athletes for Under 14 and 6 for under 12 for boys’ and girls’ categories.
 
The zone has therefore selected a total of 40 athletes with 10 in under 12 for boys and girls each and the same for the under 14 categories.
 
The interzonal competitions are slated for Nyio primary school on April 12, 2025 putting the 4 zones of Pajulu, Adumi-Nyio, Oluko-Dadamu and Aroi-manibe against each other after which a team shall be formed for Ayivu division to compete against Arua central division to select athletes to establish the Arua city team for the national competitions.
 
 
 

Written by admin