Providing that template for schools’ competitions

The Ministry of Education and its attending agencies continue to chop, change and fiddle with the various national schools’ competitions.{{more}}

Whilst it is agreed that change is always constant, there must be some basic guidelines which must be adhered to, when it comes to the conduct of the various disciplines.

As it stands now, there is no template to follow; hence, what we have is the emergence of trends and reactive approaches rather than being proactive administrators.

For too long, many persons have been clamouring to the point of almost being relentless for some guiding principles to be configured and instituted.

Therefore, when you have the Q-Care Volleyball Secondary Schools’ Tournament finishing in the evening, into the night, it shows the lack of forward planning.

Readily, one may be quick to excuse the first year, as it not only rained, which caused some delays, but it was the first attempt at staging such a tournament.

However, last year’s ending and this year’s are inexcusable, granted that the Ministry of Education had rubber-stamped the start time.

We are forgetting that such venues are not covered; hence, any rainfall will result in disruptions.

But, the planners have become idealists instead of realists and are not making provisions for the possibilities and probabilities.

It is unpardonable that the same Ministry is so hard and fast at times with their rules and regulations and their concern for the nation’s youth, that when they err in their thinking, the wrath must come down on them.

As the guardians of the youths, and as policymakers, the execution of activities under their aegis would always be scrutinized with a fine-tooth comb.

So, to avoid such an occurrence as what prevailed with the volleyball, simply, the organisers for such events should set the time they want the functions to end, then count backwards with their planning and the likes.

A couple of years ago, the netball and football finals were staged on the weekend – back to back, Saturday and Sunday.

In principle, the idea was not a bad one; however, because of logistical issues last year, both competitions’ finals reverted to the traditional Friday.

But, it went right back to the chief personnel not thinking through and putting the necessary arrangements in place to make such events success stories.

Unfortunately, much of the detailed planning goes into the track and field championships where everything in the main ticks with precision.

On the other hand, the guards are sometimes let down at the individual schools’ events, which can be deemed free for all.

While it is understood that the various institutions are responsible for the conduct of their track and field meet finals, there must be regulatory measures which cut right across the board.

For instance, it is common at some of these events to see vendors within the immediate environs of the functions, engaged in the sale of alcohol and alcoholic beverages.

Also, the no-glass-bottle policy which should be in place goes through the window at these events. In fact, that enforcement only seems to hold at the hosting of national carnival festivities.

Such inconsistent practices make it more difficult for any drastic changes to be pursued and actually carried out.

We cannot then allow for the encroaching societal behaviours to become present day accepted norms, which in actuality are counter-productive morally.

Like this column has done recently/ , calling for a structured time-tabling for the various sporting disciplines which the schools contest, to avoid the clutter-clog; it is in this same breath that the call is being made for a structured template for all schools’ competitions, especially those at the national expose.