By SANDRA MWILA –

THE Confederation of Southern Africa Schools Sports Association (COSSASA) ball games got underway in Lusaka yesterday with a call from Government for the organisers to include physically challenged pupils in the competition.
Education Deputy Minister David Mabumba said this when he officially opened the 20th edition of the COSSSA Games at the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) in Lusaka yesterday that he was saddened that pupils with special needs have been left out of the games.
“I am saddened that pupils with special needs are not part of the COSSSA games, it is important that an inclusive sports environment is created for them,” he said.
Mabumba, who welcomed the three participating countries namely Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana, urged the pupils not to indulge in vices that may ruin their lives at a tender age.
He said the COSSSA games were a good opportunity for pupils to compete at international level to enhance their sports careers.
Mabumba hailed the Zambia Schools Sports Association (ZASSA) for hosting COSSSA games having last done so 10 years ago.
COSSSA president Johnson Madhuku said thanked the governments from all participating countries for sponsoring their pupils saying it was important to invest in sports and education for the betterment of the lives of youths in the country.
The teams will compete in football, netball, rugby, volleyball, basketball and tennis and will be played at the OYDC and the Lusaka Rugby Club.