Now that the Kenya squad for the World Under 18 athletics championship has been picked and some of the 54 participants have reported to residential training camp, the focus will be how best to produce a team of winners. Some schools have already released students who are in this team, but others have held back, no doubt grappling with how to release these minors when they have pending academic assignments.
Often the welfare of such students tends to get overlooked during the euphoria that surrounds their selection to the Kenya team. This should not be the case. Every effort must be made to ensure that their extra-curricular pursuits do not work against their academic interests. Many schools are caught in a moral dilemma over whether to release students to join residential training camp or keep them in school to fulfil their academic obligations.
Authorities must come up with a more definitive method about how to ensure that students selected for international assignments do not lose out when they are called upon to sacrifice their time and represent their country in sports competitions. Ultimately, the question that will need to be asked is at what point will we have to establish special schools that allow students with special skills to develop their craft — whether they are athletes, actors or music prodigies?
It has been suggested before that child prodigies be developed early so that they can fully exploit their potential. With Kenya as an athletics powerhouse, should more deliberate methods be used to identify talented athletes when they are still in school and should these prodigies be enrolled in special schools? That is food for thought.
The immediate concern right now is the welfare of your young athletes selected for the World Under 18 Championships. Let us find a way to allow them to study effectively even as they prepare for the Nairobi competition from July 12 to 16. We must balance their interest so that they do not lose an opportunity to achieve academic excellence.
The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
join