UPSSA to recruit 500 officials for national primary schools championship

The Uganda Primary Schools Sports Association (UPSSA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Sports, is set to recruit 500 technical and officiating officials to preside over the national primary schools and para-games championship.

The week-long event will run from May 4 to 14, 2026, at King George Stadium in Tororo Municipality, Eastern Uganda. It will attract athletes from 178 districts, cities, and municipalities across the nation and will be hosted at Tororo Rock High School.

William Bwambale, the president of UPSSA, while addressing the local organizing committee at Rock High School, said: "This time around, we intend to recruit enough workforce that will be able to manage the bigger number of athletes anticipated."

Bwambale noted that the primary schools championship combines both mainstream athletics and inclusive events for children with disabilities, and is part of Uganda's broader effort to nurture talent at the grassroots level.

According to Bwambale, it also promotes inclusion and physical education as vital components of early childhood development.

"This championship is getting bigger every year. We are committed to engaging all relevant stakeholders to ensure it receives the support it deserves," said Bwambale.

He added that the championship serves not only as a platform for talent development but also as a celebration of inclusion, with both mainstream and special needs athletes competing in parallel events.

Micheal Nalugoda, second vice president of UPSSA, expressed appreciation to the Tororo community for their hospitality and support, which he said will contribute to the success of the championship.

The previous national primary schools championship, hosted in Kabale Municipality, saw Pader District emerge as the overall winner after dominating the hearing impairment categories in Special Needs Education (SNE). Mukono District claimed top honors in the visually impaired categories for both the U-12 and U-14 age groups. Busia District and Agago District topped the physically impaired U-12 and U-14 categories, respectively.

In the mainstream competition, Arua City stood out in the U-12 category, winning both the girls' title and the overall trophy. Koboko Municipality took the U-12 boys' title. In the U-14 group, Pader District claimed the boys' title, while Agago District secured victory in the girls' division. Terego District was crowned overall winner in the U-14 category.