Why coaches and team managers cheat during schools' championships

As schools head to the National Secondary Schools Championships from August 1st to 6th in Kisumu, it gives pride to coaches and managers whose teams have made it to that level.

Those that emerge victorious at the national championships proceed to the East Africa Schools Games en route to the Africa Championships, and possibly to the World Schools Games.

They (schools) are a breeding ground for budding talent by coaches out to scout for talented players.

A must-win attitude by some coaches and team officials has resulted in malpractices and they use all arsenal in their armoury to ensure they win matches in the fight for top honours.

Some schools poach players from other institutions with a promise to pay their fees while others get involved in the falsification of documents to enable them to acquire experienced players from clubs that take part in different leagues.

Impersonation is another factor that has allowed such players to play for these schools.

At the Rift Valley Secondary School Games in Bomet last weekend, two schools were banned from taking part in these games for two years and their coaches and team managers received a suspension of three years for malpractices.

Kabarnet Boys and Itigo Girls High schools football teams were time caught red handed for malpractices and faced the same penalty.

They were found culpable of fielding ineligible players in their preliminary matches and thereby attracted the wrath of Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association Rift Valley Disciplinary Committee led by chairman Sammy Githungu.

Kabarnet Boys were found guilty of fielding former Eldoret’s Magereza School player Alex Tuong’ in a preliminary match which they won 3-0 against Arsen.

Tuong’ masqueraded as Majer Yen, a student of Kabarnet Boys while Itigo Girls fielded three ineligible players in a match against Moi Girls, Eldoret. The players had falsified their birth and KCPE certificates. Kabarnet Boys’ coach a Mr Ng’eno and team manager Cosmus Bett and Itigo coach Nicholas Busutu and team manager Emmanuel Kogo were each slapped with a suspension of three years.

“We examined documentations of these cases and found them guilty of these offences and we have slapped them with these penalties,” said Githungu who is the principal of Thingithi Boys High School in Nanyuki. And why are these school officials taking risks in these undertakings as they deny genuine students an opportunity to exploit their talents? The big allowances involved in these games at the national level and regional championships is the main reason for cheating.

As these errant teachers do so, they keep in mind the achievement of their schools in extracurricular activities at the national and regional championships could lead to promotions.

“It’s an easy way to earn promotions from the Education Ministry, hence unorthodox tactics of falsification of documents to achieve positive results in the shortest time,” said a teacher who spoke to us on condition of anonymity.