''Factors inhibiting effective teaching of Physical Education: A case study of selected Basic Schools in Mbala, Zambia.

Abstract

This study was set to find out the factors inhibiting the effective teaching of physical education in some Basic schools. It was conducted in ten (10) selected urban and rural basic schools of Mbala district. The data were collected using questionnaires for the teachers, pupils, school managers and standards officers. Also face to face interviews for physical education teachers and school managers were conducted. The sample size consisted of 174 respondents made up of one hundred and fifty (150) pupils, ten (10) physical education teachers, ten school managers and four standards officers from the District Education Board Secretary's Office. The findings of the study revealed that physical education was being taught in all the sampled schools and that two periods per week were allocated. nAll the teacher respondents were trained to teach physical education despite the problem of under-staffing. Further results revealed that physical education equipment and materials were none existent in schools except for balls hence the number of pupils who got involved in physical education activities was relatively small while the majority merely watched without getting the benefit. On the other hand the perception of both teachers and pupils towards the teaching of physical education was positive and that school managers and standards officers had taken proactive role in supporting the teaching of physical education. In view of the findings the author made a number of recommendations such as:That the government beefs up the training of physical education teachers to help solve theprevailing problems.• That the government should consider providing different types of equipment to schools and in increased numbers where need be and• That the Ministry of Education should ensure that all schools have physical education facilities such as play grounds, gymnasiums and swimming pools so as to allow the majority of the pupils to get involved.