Status of Implementation of Physical Education in Primary Schools in Uasin Gishu County Kenya

Physical education (PE) programs ensure that students continue to receive health and fitness and this can improve their academic proficiency. But, the implementation of PE is inhibited by many barriers key among them being teachers’ perception. Notably a PE teacher perception may play a role on how their attitudes, confidence and ultimately behavior towards PE implementation are shaped. This could result in regarding PE as a non-important activity that acts as a means of compensating for other academic work. This study sought to investigate the extent to which PE is being implemented in public primary schools,. The study was guided by the covariation model. The sample consisted of 13 public primary schools and 162 teachers. Cross-sectional descriptive survey design was employed to conduct the study. The research instruments used were questionnaire for the teachers, interview guide for the head teachers and PE panel chairperson and an observation checklist. Data collection was done by self administration of the questionnaire. Face to face Interviews for the head teachers and PE panel chairpersons were conducted at their convenient time and the researcher used the observation checklist to ascertain PE activities in schools. Quantitative data was coded and summarized into means, frequencies and percentages with the help of SPSS (Statistical package for social sciences). Qualitative data obtained from open-ended questions on the questionnaire, interview guide and observation checklist was summarized into themes as they emerged from the responses and presented in a narrative form. The study revealed that PE implementation is low in public primary schools, Recommendations made include: The Ministry of education through the QASO to device ways of visiting schools so as to advice and direct teachers on the methodologies to use so as to implement PE as prescribed in the syllabus, organize seminars and workshops for teachers at the county level so as to enable the teachers update their knowledge and skills on PE teaching. The Ministry of education and the curriculum developers should infuse in the primary school syllabus PE competitions and award the pupils who do well in these activities as well as promoting the teachers involved as this can influence the perception of teachers. The government should put up special schools meant to teach sports and other talents discovered in children.