No fewer than six specialised schools in Katsina State are expected to participate in a two-day maiden edition of the Gov. Dikko Radda Para-Games Schools Competition.
The competition is also expected to bring together young athletes with special needs in a pioneering showcase of talent and resilience.
The Executive Director, Katsina State Sports Council, Abdullahi Bello-Rawayau, made this known during the official distribution of sporting materials to participating schools.
He said that organising the competition was a bold step toward inclusivity and grassroots sports development, signaling the state’s readiness to stage a landmark event in school sports.
According to him, the initiative underscores the state government’s commitment to empowering persons with special needs through sports.
The executive director noted that six specialised schools had been selected to compete in the two-day event scheduled to begin next week.
He listed the participating schools include the School for the Blind Kofar Yandaka, School for the Deaf Malumfashi, Community Secondary School for the Blind Daura; and the School for Deaf and Blind Kofar Soro.
Other schools to join the competition are para soccer teams from Government College Katsina (GCK), and Katsina College Katsina (KCK).
“The competition is designed not only to promote sportsmanship, but also to foster confidence, unity, and equal opportunity among students living with disabilities across the state,” he said.
Also, the Programme Consultant, Dr Zaharaddeen Nasarawa, described the event as a strategic platform for discovering hidden talents that could represent the state at national and international para-sport competitions.
He said the para-games would serve as a vital talent-hunting avenue, ensuring that athletes with special needs are given the recognition and exposure they deserve.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Sports, Lt. Hudu Usman (rtd), commended Radda for sustaining support toward the development of sports at all levels, particularly initiatives that promote inclusivity.
