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Bukti Review Iji
Bukti Review Iji
Abstract
This research delves into the impediments encountered during the execution of the Physical
Education curriculum in schools situated in Liberia's Maryland County. The study employs a
Physical Education, 60 parents, 244 students, and 10 school administrators. The primary data
collection tool utilized for this research is a structured questionnaire. The findings unveil
school resources, insufficient backing from school management, and unfavorable parental
The study underscores the utmost significance of addressing these hindrances to augment the
efficacy of teaching and learning within the realm of Physical Education across schools. To
surmount these issues, the research offers a range of potential solutions, including enhancing
teacher competencies through targeted training, fostering heightened student engagement and
awareness regarding the advantages of the subject, provisioning ample physical infrastructure
and equipment, securing unwavering support and resource allocation from school
administrators, and rectifying parental misunderstandings about the pivotal role of Physical
and stakeholders can collaborate harmoniously to amplify the influence of the Physical
Education curriculum in schools, thereby nurturing physically and mentally robust students
Introduction
Physical Education, a discipline introduced by Friedrich Jahn in the 19th century, focuses on
educating students about the benefits of engaging in physical activities for personal
physical education into Liberian schools. Initially aimed at providing students with physical
activities during lunch hours to boost fitness levels and alleviate stress, the primary goal was
among school subjects. It empowers children to acquire knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors
fostering learning and alleviating stress, anxiety, and melancholy, consistent physical activity
Formal physical education classes were introduced in the late 1880s, with Monrovia High
School being the first to offer gymnastics, sports, and calisthenics. Over time, activities like
baseball, track, and field, and basketball were added, mostly taught by non-experts. The
initial physical education curriculum was established by the American Colonization Society
(ACS), founded in 1817 to assist freed slaves in the US, resettling them in Liberia for total
wellbeing through the physical. The ACS introduced activities like running, jumping, and
In the early 20th century, the Liberia Government further developed the Physical Education
curriculum and established the Liberia Physical Education Association (LPEDA) in 1924 to
promote it. However, a shortage of qualified professionals remained. In 2006, the Ministry of
Education formed the National Physical Education and Sport Commission to enhance
instructors, often football players without pedagogical training, struggled to effectively teach,
Despite some progress in overall curriculum and teacher training, concerns persisted about
2020, only 45% of primary school students achieved minimum proficiency in reading and
In 2011, the government passed the Education Reform Act, aiming to improve education
quality to match neighbouring English speaking countries. A new curriculum, aligned with
Nigeria, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Ghana, was introduced. However, the obstacles to
The Act mandated Physical Education from grades one to nine, requiring a national exam
before proceeding to the ninth grade. If selected, students took the West Africa Senior School
Certificate Examination in twelfth grade. The curriculum covered skills, fitness, wellness,
and health education, emphasizing body movement skills, sports, healthy lifestyles, social
interactions, and safety management, among others. Physical Education contributes to fitness,
as lack of attention from teachers, insufficient school resources, students' perception of the
subject, school management, and parental attitudes persist. Adequate teaching and learning
materials are crucial. Well-equipped classrooms enable teachers to explain concepts while
students read.
essential. This model comprises four key stages: the pre-stage phase, program factors,
process factors, and the product. These components significantly impact the successful
Challenges in the Pre-Stage Phase: In this initial stage of the model, the responsibilities of
principals and teachers are pivotal. Principals are tasked with overseeing curriculum
implementation, while teachers play a dual role as presenters and implementers of the
curriculum. This encompasses various aspects such as lesson planning, initial preparation,
delivery, and the creation of assessment tools. Effective handling of feedback derived from
assessments is also imperative. The effectiveness of these tasks hinges on the teachers' depth
of knowledge in the content area and their pedagogical prowess (Siti Hauzimah, 2019). The
teaching experience. Insufficient competency in these areas can pose significant challenges
Hence, teachers involved in teaching Physical Education must possess the capability to
master the subject matter and comprehend the dynamics of the classroom environment
(Nurhidayah, Mohd Norazmi, & Heivinder, 2021). The pivotal role of teachers in the
Adeyemi (2010) defines teacher performance as the execution of duties within a specific
dedication, and effectiveness (Hemphil, as cited by Jali, 2000). Teaching performance may
suffer when teachers are assigned to subjects outside their specialization. This phenomenon,
known as out-of-field teaching, has been prevalent among Physical Education teachers in
Liberian schools (Hobbs, 2015). As the Physical Education Curriculum changes, educators
must align their planning with the Ministry of Education's philosophy. Teachers' roles in
teaching Physical Education have evolved from being knowledge sources to becoming
structured model encompassing various stages, with the pre-stage phase posing initial
challenges that must be addressed by knowledgeable and competent teachers. Their pivotal
role in shaping students' education underscores the importance of specialized expertise and
within schools remains notably low, particularly in secondary education across Liberia. This
challenge is mirrored in numerous other countries, as highlighted by Pauline & Tajul Arifin,
student participation in public examinations for PE at both the West Africa Senior School
Certificate and National levels since the adoption of the new curriculum. Notably, PE is not
offered at the senior high school tier in Liberia, potentially indicative of its perceived
This student perspective and attitude toward PE conflict with the National Philosophy of
intellectual, social, and healthy aspects (as stated in the Liberia Education Act of 2011).
Regrettably, many schools have redirected PE time to provide additional tutoring in other
subjects, effectively diminishing its prominence. In a striking illustration of this trend, PE has
been relegated to a single credit per week, underscoring the substantial diminution of its
importance.
This situation underscores that the predicaments impeding the successful implementation of
the PE curriculum are not solely attributed to teachers; policy-makers have also contributed
The School Management Factor: The effective execution of the Physical Education
infrastructure and the availability of sports equipment. The absence of these facilities and
numerous Liberian schools, the scarcity of sports facilities and equipment remains a
formidable obstacle to fully realizing the curriculum's objectives. The physical education
objectives must be met so that the necessary facilities and equipment are accessible. Having a
sufficient quantity of sports equipment is essential to enable each student to utilize the
equipment individually; avoiding prolonged waiting times for practicing newly taught skills.
Another influential factor is the School Management aspect. The active involvement of
School Administrators plays a pivotal role in effectively executing the Physical Education
facilities. (Wee & Chin, 2020). Administrators who demonstrate concern for subject
development and recognize its significance in holistic human development should allocate
the necessary resources to flawlessly execute the curriculum. Achieving the subject's
aligning with the national educational goals. Until this is accomplished, educators will face
difficulties in teaching the subject, and student's interest in the subject matter will wane. For
teachers to excel in the classroom, students must possess high motivation toward the subject,
a state that can only be fostered by the presence of appropriate teaching and learning
The Objectives
The objectives of this research are to find out challenges that hinder the successful
1. Trained and qualified teachers for teaching Physical Education curriculum within
schools.
5. The state of facilities and equipment for implementing the Physical Education
curriculum.
6. The sufficiency of facilities and equipment accessible for executing the Physical
Methods
Education curriculum in schools in Maryland County, Southern Liberia. The researcher used
quantitative methods. The survey design was used in this research. The survey is more
economical because the subjects of the findings from the survey can be generalized for the
Ten different schools were selected for this study with 334 participants drowns for the
population of 2000 using Slovin's formula to determine the sample size required for a simple
random sample to estimate the population size. It is commonly used in survey research to
calculate the appropriate sample size needed to ensure a certain level of accuracy in the
n= N
1+ Ne2
n is the required sample size.
N is the total population size.
e is the desired level of precision or margin of error as a decimal.
The sample size for this research composes of 20 teachers teaching Physical Education from
the ten selected schools. 60 parents, 244 students randomly selected using a simple random
Instrument
A questionnaire was the main instrument used for data collection for this research for all the
categories. The questionnaires were adapted from Ajaja, (2009) and it was modified to suit
the purpose of this research. The instrument was also compared to the Likert-type
questionnaire from Morga & Hanse, (2008). It was merged and reviewed by experts in the
field to ensure face and content validity and pretested to measure reliability. A simple
The researcher acquired an official letter from the County Education Officer to facilitate a
formal introduction and enhance the schools' accessibility. The students were personally
handed the questionnaires during their classes and requested to complete them. Likewise, the
teachers were provided with the questionnaires in their offices, and the school administrators
were given the same in their respective offices. With the assistance of the Chairperson of the
Parents Teachers Association, the parents' questionnaires were also distributed and collected.
While the students' questionnaires were collected immediately, the other groups were granted
The researcher investigate the number of trained and qualified teachers to effectively and
Southern Liberia.
1-2 3 30%
3-4 1 10%
Above 4 0 0%
Total 10 100%
Table one revealed that 6( 60%) respond that teachers teaching Physical Education
curriculum are not trained nor qualified to teach the subject. Only 3(30%) of the respondents
revealed that 1-2 teachers are qualified to teach the Physical Education curriculum. This is a
clear indication that Heads of schools should try to hire trained and qualified teachers to
better teach the subject. The result shown above will lead to less motivation among the
students to take Physical Education as seriously as other subjects. For students to be well
motivated in a subject depends on mastering the content area and knowledge about the
pedagogical skills.
Table 2 revealed that 200(82%) respondents said Physical Education lessons are held once a
week. A few 40(16%) said Physical Education lessons are held twice a week. This indication
shows that the time allotted to teach Physical Education is a clear signal that it is given less
attention.
Yes 3 1.22%
No 90 36.9%
Total 100%
From Table 3, the majority of the students indicated that there are only a few facilities
available for the practice of skills learned in class. Physical Education is a practical-oriented
Agree 23 9.2%
Strongly disagree 10 4%
Undecided 17 6.8%
Table 4 indicated that with 200(80%) respondents, the school has poor facilities to implement
the Physical Education curriculum. Only 10(4%) strongly disagreed. This is an indication that
Good 1 5%
Relative 3 15%
Bad 15 75%
No Idea 1 5%
Total 20 100%
In Table 5, 15(75%) respondents indicated that students have negative attitudes towards A
crucial aspect of the Physical Education curriculum is fostering a positive attitude among
students, as this serves as a powerful motivator for their active participation in physical
activities. Such engagement not only enhances their physical development but also
contributes to their emotional, social, and mental growth. Conversely, a negative attitude can
for teachers to inspire students and instill a favorable outlook toward the Physical Education
curriculum.
Frequency Percentage
Response
Undecided 10 16.7%
Total 60 100%
Table 6 revealed that 40(66.7%) respondents of parents don't encourage their children to take
Physical Education lessons as seriously as other subjects. This negative attitude of parents
towards the subject by parents will hinder the effective implementation of the curriculum.
Subramanian, (1999) stated that attitude is very important in the implementation of any
curriculum because it serves as a yardstick to measure the interest of learners in the lesson
Discussion
The presence of untrained and unqualified instructors within the physical education
curriculum presents significant challenges. This essay explores the possible outcomes of
employing educators who are not adequately prepared to deliver physical education
programs. It highlights how this situation negatively affects both students' academic
Insufficiently trained educators teaching physical education can give rise to several
detrimental consequences for the curriculum. Initially, their lack of essential knowledge and
Consequently, students might not reap the complete benefits intended by the curriculum, as
they may miss out on crucial skills and fundamental concepts. Moreover, the incapacity of
untrained teachers to offer essential guidance and support may engender reduced motivation
and involvement in physical education undertakings among students. Lastly, the inability of
unqualified instructors to establish a secure and enjoyable learning milieu might heighten the
risk of injuries and lead to an overall decline in the quality of the physical education
The presence of untrained and unqualified educators brings about notable challenges during
Qualified physical education instructors possess the knowledge and expertise to design
captivating and demanding activities tailored to diverse student needs. Conversely, untrained
educators may lack the skills to develop dynamic and interactive lessons, resulting in
uninteresting and uninspiring learning experiences. Consequently, students may lose interest
and motivation, becoming disconnected from the curriculum and its objectives (Ennis, 2008).
Mitigating the Risk of Injuries
understanding of injury prevention techniques and proper exercise form, thereby reducing the
Proficient physical education instructors excel at evaluating individual students' strengths and
instruction that doesn't cater to diverse learning abilities in the classroom (Kilpatrick et al.,
2006). Consequently, students may not realize their full potential and could feel frustrated
Physical education is integral to fostering students' physical health and overall well-being.
Skilled educators not only teach physical skills but also instill lifelong habits for maintaining
active lifestyles. Without adequate training, teachers might be unaware of best practices for
encouraging healthy behaviors, potentially leading to sedentary habits and increased health
risks like obesity and related chronic diseases (Cale & Harris, 2019).
National or state physical education curricula are designed with specific learning objectives
and standards in mind. Unqualified instructors may lack awareness of these objectives or fail
curriculum may not be achieved, compromising the overall effectiveness of the educational
program.
motivation to the potential for injuries and compromised health, the implications are
extensive and detrimental to student learning outcomes. To ensure the success of physical
education programs and safeguard students' well-being, prioritizing teacher training and
qualifications is essential. This ensures educators possess the necessary expertise to deliver a
When physical education is only offered once a week, several effects become apparent on the
Reduced Physical Activity: With minimal time dedicated to physical education, students
might not meet recommended health and fitness guidelines. Regular physical activity is
Limited Skill Development: Skill development in sports and physical activities requires
consistent practice. A weekly schedule disrupts the continuous learning necessary for
Weekly classes can hinder students' ability to improve their skills in various areas.
Impact on Health and Obesity: Insufficient physical activity might lead to sedentary
behavior and increased obesity rates among students. Regular physical education classes are
Content Coverage Challenge: Teachers might struggle to cover the entire physical
education curriculum within limited class time, potentially leading to a focus on specific
activities.
Increased Injury Risk: Limited classes may prompt students to overexert themselves during
To address these effects, schools can encourage physical activity outside of school,
incorporate physical activity into other subjects, and offer extracurricular sports programs.
Up-to-date research should be consulted for specific insights. Conducting a literature search
for recent articles in reputable journals can provide current research supporting these points.
Physical education (PE) is essential for holistic student development, but poor facilities
the practical application of PE concepts. This negatively affects skill development and
interest.
Safety Concerns: Outdated or poorly maintained facilities pose safety risks, increasing the
motivation to participate.
Health Impact: Inadequate facilities hinder fitness program design, impacting students'
Teacher Well-being: Poor facilities stress PE teachers, leading to burnout and potential
turnover. To improve PE, institutions must invest in modern, safe facilities for
poor facilities on teaching and learning experiences. Ensuring quality facilities support
Negative student attitudes toward physical education pose challenges such as:
academic subjects thereby demotivating the interest of the students in the subject
Limiting Career Opportunities: Negative attitudes can discourage careers in sports and
Fostering positive attitudes requires collaborative efforts among educators, parents, and
Reduced Class Time: Parents' emphasis on academics can lead to decreased PE class time
Teacher Morale: Negative feedback form parents and students demotivate Physical
Education teachers.
To conclude, Physical education is vital for students' development, but challenges like
untrained teachers, limited time, poor facilities, and negative attitudes must be addressed.
facilities, and promoting positive attitudes. By valuing and investing in physical education,
we shape healthier, more engaged individuals prepared for lifelong well-being. This unified
Recommendations
Instructors
elevate their knowledge and teaching competencies. Ensuring that all physical education
instructors receive adequate training and possess the necessary qualifications will
undoubtedly yield improved learning outcomes for students, as well as foster a safer and
To effectively address the existing issue of limited class time, educational institutions should
contemplate increasing the frequency and duration of physical education sessions. Allocating
more time to physical education would enable students to partake in a broader spectrum of
activities, hone their skills, and foster better overall health and fitness.
sports fields, and fitness centers is essential in creating an environment conducive to safe and
effective learning. Consistent upkeep and modernization efforts will not only guarantee
student safety but also elevate the overall quality of the physical education curriculum.
enlighten parents about the advantages of physical education and its pivotal role in nurturing
academic subjects, thereby ensuring consistent exercise throughout the school day. For
example, incorporating movement and physical activities into lessons related to mathematics,
science, or language arts can provide students with additional opportunities for physical
engagement.
Physical education curriculums must be meticulously crafted to cater to the diverse needs and
interests of students. Instructors can diversify the array of physical activities and sports
offered, thereby rendering the curriculum more inclusive and engaging for all students.
Furthermore, fostering a positive and supportive ambiance within physical education classes
Educational institutions and policymakers should engage in consistent data collection and
research efforts to gauge the impact of physical education on student outcomes and well-
being. These endeavors will aid in identifying areas necessitating improvement and will serve
By championing the cause, we can heighten awareness regarding the significance of physical
education and secure support from parents, educators, and community stakeholders.
Establishing connections within the community and collaborating with local organizations
can provide supplementary resources and bolster the support network for physical education
programs.
By embracing these recommendations, educational institutions can surmount the challenges
delineated in the essay, thereby ensuring that physical education remains an integral
students and paves the way for a healthier and more active generation in the future.
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