According to the literature the status of Physical Education as school subject has declined considerably worldwide in many schools over the past twenty years. The concern about this decline in the presence and presentation of Physical Education in school curriculums across the world, initiated the “International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education‟s” (ICSSPE) investigation into the status of Physical Education in 167 countries and states. Hardman (2005) confirms that numerous governments legally committed themselves to offer Physical Education to children and young people, but due to several factors, this promise has not materialised. The most important outcome of this worldwide investigation is the World Summit on Physical Education in Berlin in 1999, organised by ICSSPE. More than 250 representatives of governments, inter-government organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and academic institutions of 80 countries from across the world, including South Africa, attended this summit. This summit was presented under the international supervision and protection of the “United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization” (UNESCO) as well as the “International Olympic Committee” (IOC), with the co-sponsorship of the “World Health Organization” (WHO). Three weeks later, the Berlin Agenda or “Call for Action”, compiled at the World Summit, was presented for acceptance and support to “Ministers and Senior Officials reponsible for Physical Education and Sport” (MINEPS III) in Uruguay. With the acceptance of this “Call for Action” MINEPS III committed themselves to present and support quality Physical Education as a basic right of all children and young people in their different countries.
Research Aim 1 of this study is: The evaluation of the re-implementation of Physical Education as subject in South African schools, and Research Aim 2 is: The analysis of the further implementation of Physical Education as subject in South African schools according to the Berlin Agenda. In 1994 Physical Education disappeared as a separate school subject in South Africa. With the implementation of Curriculum 2005 the subject was included as one of the outcomes of the Learning Area Life Orientation, and was systematically implemented from the Foundation Phase through to the FET Phase.
Since the beginning of 2008 Physical Education has been a compulsory outcome of Life Orientation from Grade R up to Grade 12, with minimum ONE specified Physical Education period per week, per grade on every school timetable in South Africa. However, since the DoE-initiated countrywide training of 277 Life Orientation subject advisors in Physical Education in 2008, co-ordinated by the NWU (Potchefstroom Campus), there seem to be major problems with the implementation of Physical Education as outcome of Life Orientation.
A quantitative research design, which included six phases and was supported by a limited qualitative set of data, was used in this research.
Physical Education does not experience a very high status in South Africa. Insufficient teacher training (almost 50% of Physical Education staff have had no training), apparatus, facilities and support for the implementation of the subject increase the problem. If the government and National Department of Education wishes to honour the Berlin Declaration or “Call for Action”, it will have to speedily and seriously consider the recommendations in this research concerning training, apparatus, facilities, support as well as changes to the curriculum.
Internationally the subject is under pressure, but countries such as Australia, England and the USA are serious about the subject. South Africa should speedily follow the same route as these countries and become serious about the re-implementation of Physical Education. As a democratic country, quality Physical Education for children and young people is the obligation and responsibility of the government, National as well as Provincial Departments of Education, school governing bodies, school management teams, teachers and parents. A lack of quality Physical Education can result in an unfit, overweight and uncompetitive sport population of children and young people in South Africa. Such an undesirable situation can cause negative a health-status, economic development as well as poor national and international sport results for an upcoming, developing country such as South Africa. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Movement Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nwu/oai:dspace.nwu.ac.za:10394/4486 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Van der Merwe, Nico |
| Publisher | North-West University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | Afrikaans |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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