By Abubakar Baba Ahmad.
The Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC says the reintroduced Basic Education Schools’ Sports BESS Competition is aimed at identifying talents as well as boosting pupils IQ and physical fitness.
The UBEC Northeast Zonal Director Alhaji Abdullahi Jarma stated this at the 2024 SUBEB/UBEC Basic Education School Sports BESS Bauchi State Final Competition held at the Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium Bauchi.
Alhaji Abdullahi Jarma said sporting activities supports brain development, help identify talents and improves children’s fitness, hence the resolve of the commission to reintroduce the programme five years ago.
While stating that majority of public primary schools have one sporting facility or the other, urged school managers to always engage their pupils in extracurricular activities to support their mental and physical development.
Earlier, the Executive Chairman Bauchi SUBEB Alhaji Adamu Duguri represented by the Director Monitoring and Evaluation of the board Malam Abbas Abdulmumini congratulated the competitors for their effort and urged them to remain dedicated to their academic activities.
On his part, the Host and Director Upper Basic SUBEB Aliyu Umar Wunti said the competition is a gateway to the screening of the national competition scheduled to hold in the next two weeks in Bauchi.
Aliyu Umar who said the rationale behind the competition is to boost the morale of the pupils outside the classroom room environment, commended UBEC and SUBEB for the initiative.
At the end of the Under-13 finals of the competition, team Misau Boys beat Bauchi 2 nil on penalties, Bogoro Girls team trashed Bauchi Smart School 4 nil, Toro won both boys and girls 100 metres category, team Bauchi boys and Toro girls won in handball, while Shira Boys and Toro girls won in 400 by 100 metres.
