The Problems of Teaching Physical and Health Education in Junior Secondary Schools
Chapter One
Objectives of the Study
This study was undertaken majorly to investigate the problems of teaching physical and health education in junior secondary schools. Specifically, the study intends to:
- To examine the factors that inhibits the teaching of physical and health education in junior secondary schools.
- To find out if junior secondary school Physical and Health Education teachers are exposed to new technologies.
- To know whether or not Physical and Health Education teachers are aware of the new technologies and whether these new technologies are also available for teaching PHE in junior secondary schools.
- To ascertain the challenges of teaching physical and health education in junior secondary schools.
- To proffer recommendations to these challenges.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED AND RELEVANT LITERATURE
Introduction
People in every nation love sport. Its values – fitness, fair play, teamwork, and the pursuit of excellence – are universal. At its best, it brings people together, no matter what their origin, background, religious beliefs or economic status. When young people participate in sports or have access to physical education, they can build up their health and sell esteem, use their talents to the fullest, learn the ideals of teamwork and tolerance, and be drawn away from the dangers of drugs and crime. That is why the United Nations is turning more and more often to the world of sport for help to work for peace to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (Anan, 2005).
Participating in sports provides many opportunities necessary for growth and development of adolescents as they transit from childhood to adulthood. Researchers have found that participating in sports builds character and leadership skills (Menwin, 1994; Goldberg and Chandler, 1992). Research has also indicated that adolescents who engage in sports activities are more likely to be rated as competent by their peers (Harter, 1993).
The international con recognized sport as a fundamental right as early as 1959 in the Declaration on the Rights of the Child (General Assembly resolution 1386 (XIV) of 20 November 1959) and then in 1978, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), International Charier of Physical Education and Sport (adopted by the UNESCO General Conference at its twentieth session on 21 November 1978) described sport and physical education as a “fundamental right for all” (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 1978).
In 1990, the “right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child” was recognized in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (article. 31). The Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women affirms that, “on the basis of equality of men and women”, women must be ensured “opportunities to participate actively in sports and physical education” (United Nations, 1979).
A number of other international legal and policy instruments support the right to sport and physical education (United Nations Inter-Agency Task force, 2003). Particular note is made of the outcome document of the special session of the General Assembly on children entitled “A world fit for children”, stressing that education shall be directed to the development of children’s personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential. However, these instruments have generally received limited weight and the rights to play; sport and physical education have often been described as forgotten rights. (United Nations, 2002).
In recognition of the growing acceptance of the right to sport and physical education and its role in contributing to development and peace, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 58/5 of 3 November 2003, entitled “Sport as a means to promote education, health, development and peace”. This resolution recognized the significant role that sport can play in accelerating progress towards the achievement of the MDGs and proclaimed the year 2005 as the International Year of Sport and Physical Education calling on Governments, international sports bodies and sport-related organizations to use sport and physical education to promote education, health, development and peace, (United Nations, 2005).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to examine the problems of teaching physical and health education in junior secondary schools.
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
Primary source and
Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information which will aid to examine the problems of teaching physical and health education in junior secondary schools. Two hundred (200) respondents were randomly selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to reiterate that the objective of this study was to examine the problem of teaching physical and health education in junior secondary school.
In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in examining the problem of teaching physical and health education in junior secondary school.
Summary
This study was undertaken to examine the problem of teaching physical and health education in junior secondary school. The study was introduced with chapter one where the statement of the problem was clearly defined. The study objectives and research hypotheses were defined and formulated respectively. The study reviewed related and relevant literatures. The chapter two gave the conceptual framework, empirical and theoretical studies. The third chapter described the methodology employed by the researcher in collecting both the primary and the secondary data. The research method employed here is the descriptive survey method. The study analyzed and presented the data collected in tables and tested the hypotheses using the chi-square statistical tool. While the fifth chapter gives the study summary and conclusion.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION
It could be concluded that Health and physical education have been found to bring individuals and communities together, highlighting commonalities and bridging cultural and ethnic divides. It has also provided a forum to learn skills such as discipline and leadership, and they convey core principles that are important in a democracy, such as tolerance, solidarity, cooperation; and respect. Access to and participation in health and physical education provide an opportunity to experience social and moral inclusion for individuals and populations otherwise marginalized by social, ethnic, cultural or religious barriers. Through physical and Health education, individuals can experience equality, freedom and a dignifying means for empowerment particularly for girls and women, for people with a disability, for those living in conflict areas and for people recovering from trauma. Therefore, physical education teachers should re-invigorate their efforts in spite of these challenges and develop spoils in their various schools and communities.
However, from observation and through the questionnaire, it was discovered that the junior secondary schools do not have competent and willing teachers who will teach this subject. Also, from some school, it was discovered that the subject is theoretically taught and not practiced. Furthermore, the competent and willing teachers are not given the right motivation to do the job.
Based on the foregoing, the following recommendations were made:
- Health education should be given priority in Nigerian Educational curriculum right from basic schools through secondary and tertiary institutions.
- The proposed restructuring of NCE programmes by National commission for colleges of Education to scrap health education as a teaching subject should be jettisoned
- In-service training programme should be provided for active health educators in both basic and secondary school level.
- The organs of school health programmes; school health instructions, school health services, healthful school environment and school community relation should be given recognition in all levels of education through coordinated efforts of all stake holders.
- All tiers of government should expedite actions in the provision of facilities, equipment and materials for the effective implementation of School Health Instruction at all levels of educational system.
- Emphasis should be placed on the recruitment of personnel such as physicians, nurses, counsellors, grounds men and cleaners to complement the programme of instruction imparted by trained health educators at basic and secondary school levels.
REFERENCES
- Adegboyega, J.A., Ajay, V.O. & Adesina M.O. (2005). Essentials of school health programme, Ibadan. Macmillian Nig. Ltd.
- Ademuwagun, Z.A. (1971). The preparation of teachers in health education at the University level in Nigeria. International Journal of Health Education XIV (3), 121- 126.
- Ajisafe, M.O. (1980). Teaching physical and health education. Ibadan. Macmillan Nig. Ltd.
- Agbaje, O. S. & Olanipekun, O.K. (2008). New comprehensive physical and health education for schools and colleges. Enugu. Olis Nigeria Ventures.
- Akinbile, P.O. & Adelusi, J.O. (2010). Nonimplementation of school health programme in schools; An impediment to societal change. Paper presented at the International conference on transformative education Obafemi Awolowo University Ife.
- Allensworth, D.D. & Kolbe, I D (1987). The comprehensive school health programme. Exploring and expanded concept. Journal of School Health 10( iv) 409-412.
