The government has moved to tighten the integrity of school sports by introducing biometric verification to flush out overage players and non-learners from national competitions.
The Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) will be used to authenticate the identities and eligibility of learners participating in school games, in a major shake-up aimed at ending age cheating and other forms of manipulation that have long threatened the credibility of school sports.
Basic Education Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa said the system will facilitate the creation of a comprehensive database of learners taking part in national school competitions, allowing authorities to verify participants and ensure that only eligible students take to the field.
Speaking during the official opening of the 2026 National Term Two School Games at M-PESA Foundation Academy in Thika, Mr Ololtuaa said schools must ensure that learner records are accurate, complete and regularly updated to support effective verification.
The PS said the Ministry of Education had also developed a framework to tackle the participation of overage students and enforce strict adherence to competition regulations.
The measures are expected to target a practice in which some schools allegedly retain talented learners in the same class for years in an attempt to gain an unfair advantage in sporting competitions.
Mr Ololtuaa warned that such practices undermine the purpose of school sports, which should serve as a platform for identifying and nurturing talent while promoting discipline, character development and the overall growth of learners.
The government, he said, would not allow sporting competition to come at the expense of education.
He urged participating learners to maintain discipline and give equal attention to their studies, stressing that academic achievement and sporting excellence should complement each other in preparing young people for life beyond school.
“Sports and academics must go hand in hand,” he said, urging learners to take advantage of the opportunities presented by school games without losing sight of their primary responsibility as students.
The PS also assured schools and participants that the government had put in place the necessary measures to ensure the smooth running of the national competitions.
He said adequate funding and logistical preparations had been secured to guarantee uninterrupted games and provide learners with an enabling environment to compete and showcase their abilities.
The push for greater integrity in school sports comes as the government seeks to strengthen the role of co-curricular activities in the education system, with sports increasingly being viewed as an avenue for talent development, employment and economic empowerment.
M-PESA Foundation Academy Acting Executive Head of School Mary Nyale said school sports were critical in shaping responsible young people and keeping learners away from social ills.
Ms Nyale said participation in sporting activities helps instil discipline, teamwork and resilience while reducing the risk of learners engaging in drug abuse, crime and other destructive behaviour.
She added that sports could also have a positive impact on academic performance by helping learners develop focus, confidence and a sense of responsibility.
According to Ms Nyale, investment in sporting talent should not be viewed merely as an extracurricular activity, arguing that talented learners can use their abilities to build careers, earn a livelihood and improve the economic wellbeing of their families and communities.
KCB Bank Kenya Head of Integrated Marketing Nkatha Mutungi, whose institution is among the sponsors of the games, praised the government for providing a national platform where learners can compete and showcase their talents across different sporting disciplines.
Ms Mutungi called on parents and teachers to work together to identify and nurture talent at an early stage, saying many young people could build successful careers through sports if given the right support.
She said sporting talent could open doors to scholarships, professional careers and other opportunities, particularly for learners from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Ms Mutungi said KCB would continue supporting talented learners through its annual scholarship programme, which seeks to give financially disadvantaged students an opportunity to pursue their education while developing their sporting abilities.
She said such initiatives were essential in ensuring that poverty does not prevent gifted learners from reaching their full potential.
The 2026 National Term Two School Games bring together learners competing in various sporting disciplines, with the government seeking to use the platform not only to identify emerging talent but also to reinforce discipline, fair play and academic responsibility.
The introduction of biometric verification is expected to mark a significant shift in the management of school sports, placing greater emphasis on accountability and ensuring that competition is determined by talent and preparation rather than manipulation of learner records.
