Strategies for Developing Physical Education among Senior Secondary Schools

STRATEGIES FOR DEVELOPING PHYSICAL EDUCATION AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS (Chapter 1-5)

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The Nigerian secondary school curriculum is designed in such a way as to give greater import to a particular set of subjects among the core subjects selection (National Policy of Education, 2013). These subjects include Mathematics, English Language, Biology, Physics, Literature-in-English, Government etc.

However, the importance of physical education to secondary school learners cannot be overemphasized. It has a remarkable impact on all domains on learning (Awosika, 2009). Sports, an offshoot of physical education is among the highest-earning occupations in today’s world. Indeed physical education can assist students on their path towards fulfillment and self-actualization (Babatunde, 2008).

As Collins (2011) asserted, Physical education is the only subject that focuses children’s efforts and learning on their body and its physical development. It further links this to cognitive and social processes thereby making a real connection between how mind and body develop. Evidence indicates that the health and wellbeing of children affect their ability to achieve and their confidence to learn (Erasmus, 2009; Bamgbose, 2008). When children and young people are fit and healthy, they are more able to concentrate, learn and do well in school (Awosika, 2009).

In a bid to project the importance of a good Physical Education program, Adams (2012) noted that it could : include all children and young people whatever their cultural background and physical or cognitive abilities; enhance social inclusion and engagement in school life; develop pupils’ confidence and self-esteem; contribute to the social life of the school and its ethos; and provide foundation skills and knowledge for a lifetime of activity and perhaps a future working life in sport, physical activity, culture and leisure.

Adam also stated that Physical Education is the only comprehensive and educationally sound way we have to ensure that all children and young people learn the skills and understandings necessary for living a physically active life. In Adam’s opinion, Some children may go on to excel in sports, others may enjoy a range of recreational activities, but all will need to learn the basic skills and understanding for lifelong activity. There is an alarming growth in sedentary lifestyles and poor mental health (Ikulayo, 2006) and this provides a compelling driver for quality physical education.

It is clear that schools have a key role in encouraging pupils to have positive attitudes to physical education, physical activity and healthy lifestyles. In addition, school sports and other in-house activities are important events that pupils can and do identify with, fostering a sense of community (Beets & Pitteti, 2005).

Physical Education, as a teaching subject, has suffered neglect in Nigerian educational institutions in the past, as its scope was limited to exercises, physical drills or muscle building. In recent times, the Nigerian educators agreed that Physical Education/Human Kinetics be integrated into the school curriculum as a teaching subject. The Federal Government of Nigerian in its policy on education (National Policy on Education, 2004) therefore, stressed the need to direct the quality of instruction at all levels, towards the promotion of educational, physical and psychological health of all children among others. This will enable them become functional and productive members of the society. Thus, a functional Physical Education Programme in all educational institutions must be vigorously pursued if appropriate skills, abilities and competences (both mental and physical) needed to equip the individuals to live in and contribute meaningfully to the development of the society must be achieved. It is in full realization of this assumption, that the Federal Government of Nigeria approved the inclusion of Physical and Health Education Curriculum into the educational institutions at all levels (National Policy on Education, 2013).

It is rather unfortunate that there is a decline in the participation in Physical Education programmes in educational institutions in Nigeria owing to different variables. Protagonists of physical Education have clamoured to have the subject accorded with more importance in the curriculum by developing it and making its teaching and learning up to standard like the more favoured subjects. However, their desires have not been satisfactorily met by the stakeholders. It is however the hope of physical education pushers that their hues and cries would be heeded in future; perhaps as a result of more continuous and persuasive research findings.

Statement of Problem

Physical education is among the subjects that have been relegated to the background among subjects in the secondary school curriculum in Nigeria. This shows through a myriad of factors, some of which are: time allocated to Physical Education teaching, less emphasis on physical education teachers, and absence of instructional materials. Many secondary schools of today do not have track, field and playgrounds, while some schools do not even have physical education teachers.

If the current trend of physical education in Senior Secondary schools continue, students could be deprived of the opportunity to visualize a future career in Physical and Health Education, Recreation and sports, and thus validate a decision to pursue such courses in their future academic career.

This situation could, in turn, deprive the nation of educated and able sportsmen and women who could take the nation’s sports to new heights.

To mitigate this problem, it then becomes necessary to look for ways to develop physical education as a subject in Senior Secondary Schools. This is the problem of this study.

Purpose of Study

The main purpose of this study is to create strategies for developing Physical Education as a subject in Senio Secondary Schools in Nigeria. Specifically, this study aims to:

Determine if creation of compulsory playground for all Senior Secondary schools will help to develop Physical Education as a subject.
Ascertain if making Physical Education a compulsory subject will help to develop it as a subject in Senior Secondary Schools.
Discern if making compulsory the possession of at least one Physical Education teacher for each SS class in each school will help to develop Physical Education as a subject.

Research Questions

The following research questions will be answered in the course of this study:

Will the creation of compulsory playground for all Senior Secondary schools help to develop Physical Education as a subject?
Will making Physical Education a compulsory subject help to develop it as a subject in Senior Secondary Schools?
Will making compulsory the possession of at least one Physical Education teacher for each SS class in each school will help to develop Physical Education as a subject?

Research Hypotheses

The following research hypotheses will be tested in the course of this study:

Creation of compulsory playground for all Senior Secondary schools will not help to develop Physical Education as a subject.
Making Physical Education a compulsory subject will not help to develop it as a subject in Senior Secondary Schools.
Making compulsory the possession of at least one Physical Education teacher for each SS class in each school will not help to develop Physical Education as a subject.

Scope of the Study

The study examines strategies for developing physical education among senior secondary schools . This study is delimited to the following: Strategies for developing Physical Education a subject among Senior Secondary schools., Education District (IV), Lagos state, The descriptive survey research method, Use of questionnaire, 100 Physical Education teachers and Chi-square statistical tool.

Significance of the Study

This study would be of importance to education stakeholders and curriculum designers in Nigeria as it would lend more credence and purpose to the clamour by physical educators for greater physical education teaching, learning and participation in Senior Secondary schools. This study would shed more light on the relevance of physical education as a subject and why the concerned students would benefit from it.

Operational Definition of Terms

Physical Education: an instructional program built around basic motor activities, which helps achieve the goal of physical, emotional and mental wellbeing for every student and teacher.

Strategy: a plan of action or policy designed to achieve an aim

Develop: To make Physical Education gain more favour and indulgence in Senior Secondary Schools.

Project Overview

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