OPINION: Let fellow students officiate school sports competitions

By Emmanuel Sekago

The Ministry of Education and Sports, through its Physical Education and Sports Department (PES-D), needs to emphasise the use of trained and competent officials from the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) capacity-building programme to officiate school and higher learning sports competitions across the country.

It is time to give student officials an opportunity to take charge of school sports, apply the skills they have acquired through training and demonstrate that young people can play a vital role in promoting fairness, integrity and professionalism in competition.

The idea of allowing fellow students to officiate matches should not be viewed as a weakness in the school sports system. Instead, it should be embraced as an opportunity to develop the next generation of referees, umpires, judges and technical officials while promoting responsibility, discipline and mutual respect among learners.

USSSA has continued to invest in capacity building, developing a pool of officials equipped with the knowledge and skills required to manage competitions across different sporting disciplines. These trainees deserve encouragement, trust and opportunities to put their training into practice.

USSSA capacity-building trainees are expected to give their best in every match they officiate, upholding the highest standards of fairness, integrity, professionalism and discipline. Their conduct matters because they are not only managing games but also helping shape the future of sports officiating in Uganda.

Allowing trained students to officiate their fellow students can create a practical learning environment in which they gain experience, build confidence and develop the ability to make difficult decisions under pressure.

It can also encourage a sense of ownership of school sports. Learners would appreciate that sports development is not limited to playing on the pitch or court; it also involves officiating, coaching, administration and other technical responsibilities that make competitions successful.

However, student officials must be properly trained, assessed and supervised, particularly during high-stakes competitions. The objective should not be to appoint students simply because they are available, but to give opportunities to those who have demonstrated the required competence and understanding of the rules.

One of the most important expectations of every official is the ability to resist bribery and external influence from coaches, team representatives or other interested parties.

Decisions must be based on the rules of the game rather than friendship, school allegiance, pressure or personal interests. A student officiating a match involving classmates or a rival school must understand that impartiality is central to the credibility of the competition.

Integrity remains an official’s greatest strength. By demonstrating honesty, confidence and neutrality, USSSA-trained student officials can help build trust in school sports and protect the credibility of match results.

There should be no compromise on these standards simply because the officials are young. Instead, they should receive mentorship and guidance to help them develop the discipline required to handle responsibility.

Equally, coaches, games teachers, school administrators and team supporters must respect officials’ decisions and avoid intimidating or influencing them. A culture that respects fair officiating will help young officials grow and make school competitions more orderly.

USSSA has trained a significant number of capacity-building trainees in football, netball, lacrosse, Kho Kho, volleyball, table tennis and athletics. This has helped improve the availability of officials in these disciplines.

Nevertheless, more investment is needed to expand the programme to other sports, including basketball, swimming, baseball, cricket, rugby, hockey, badminton and mind games.

Broadening the programme would increase the number of qualified officials available to schools and institutions of higher learning, while supporting the development of sports that need a stronger technical workforce.

The Ministry of Education and Sports, working with USSSA and other relevant sports bodies, should consider strengthening training opportunities, practical assessments and mentorship programmes for student officials. Schools and higher learning institutions should also be encouraged to identify interested learners and support them in acquiring officiating qualifications.

A structured system would ensure that student officials are deployed according to their competence, with experienced officials available to guide them whenever necessary.

School sports are not only about winning trophies or identifying talented athletes. They are also an important environment for developing leadership, discipline, teamwork and other skills that learners can carry into their adult lives.

A student who begins officiating at school could eventually become a national referee, an international umpire or a recognised technical official. Giving such students an opportunity today could help address the need for a larger pool of competent officials in Uganda’s sports sector tomorrow.

The Ministry of Education and Sports should therefore work closely with USSSA to promote the use of trained student officials in school competitions and, where appropriate, competitions involving institutions of higher learning.

Let the games be officiated by fellow students — but let competence, integrity and proper training guide every appointment.

Giving young officials a chance is not merely about filling a role on the pitch or court. It is about investing in their future, strengthening the credibility of school sports and building a generation that understands that fair play begins with those entrusted to enforce the rules.