Muscat: The National Private School were crowned champions of the 3x3 Girls’ School Basketball Championship after delivering an outstanding performance in a competitive tournament that featured 18 schools from across Oman. Al Injaz International Private School claimed second place, while Sultan Qaboos Private School secured third. The closing ceremony was held in the presence of Dr Shaikha al Shuaibi, Assistant Director-General for Education Affairs at the Ministry of Education.
The tournament was hosted at Al Amal Sports Club from April 27 to 29, organised by the Department of Specialised Activities at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, in collaboration with the Oman Basketball Association and the Oman School Sports Federation. The event was part of the 'School Sports Days' programme, which was launched in 2008 to promote physical activity among students, encourage a healthy and active lifestyle, and help develop technical and supervisory sports talent.
The 3x3 basketball championship is considered one of the programme’s key events. This was the second consecutive edition, and it has been officially registered with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA 3x3). The matches were officiated by an all-female refereeing crew from the 3x3 Basketball Referees Committee under the Oman Basketball Association, under the supervision of an international female referee —highlighting growing support for developing female professionals in sports.
Student Shaima al Zadjali from the National Private School expressed her pride in winning the title, emphasising that the victory was a result of collective effort and commitment by the players. She added that although the competition was tough, it provided a great platform for skill development and teamwork, and the team looks forward to future competitions.
Such championships are particularly important as they contribute to the international ranking of the Oman Basketball Association. All player data is recorded in the official FIBA database, giving participants the chance to collect ranking points and improve their international standing.
The School Sports Days programme aims to achieve several strategic objectives, including increasing interest in school sports, diversifying programmes to benefit students, utilising school facilities and qualified staff more effectively, and encouraging schools to further invest in their sports activities. It also seeks to transform schools into genuine feeders for national youth training centres, foster healthy competition among students, and create a positive recreational outlet outside of academic hours.
This wide participation demonstrates the success of the School Sports Days initiative and the growing commitment among schools to promote sports for girls and provide an environment conducive to discovering and nurturing young talent.
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