Abstract
The study was carried out to ascertain the availability of Physical Education facilities and equipment in teaching in primary schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. A descriptive survey research design was used for the study. The study population comprised all public primary schools and all physical and health education teachers in the Local Government Area, using simple random sampling techniques. Six (6) schools and twelve (12) physical and health education teachers were used for the study. The instrument used for collection was the Availability and Utilization of Physical and Health Education Facilities and Equipment Questionnaire (APFAEQ) and a checklist was used to elicit information from the respondents. Three research questions were formulated to guide the study. Data was analyzed using simple percentages. The findings of this study indicated that out of all the Physical Education teaching facilities, only soccer fields were available in all the public primary schools in Obio/Akpor. However, most of the schools have volleyball court, basketball court, handball court. The study showed that soccer ball, whistle and relay batons were available in all the schools studied; other items that were available in most schools are volleyballs, basketball, handballs, measuring tape and first aid. The result of the study indicated that soccer fields and balls, whistles and relay batons were adequately utilized in the schools. First aid box and measuring tape were sparingly utilized in most of the schools. Based on the result, it was recommended that workshops should be organized for public primary schools’ principals and Physical and Health Education teachers on the need to construct physical education facilities and procure the necessary equipment and utilize them. Also funds should be provided to the schools to construct facilities for effective teaching of Physical Education.
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
In recent times, it has been observed that physical education seems to be losing steam in almost all the primary schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area Rivers State because facilities are not available for teaching.
The level of success of physical and health education teaching is greatly dependent on the degree of availability and utilization of up-to-date facilities, equipment and supplies. Without facilities sports cannot take place. This does not however imply that sports facility is the only variable that is necessary for sports participation, others such as equipment, supplies are indispensable complement to sport facilities.
Availability refers to service or resources that can be obtained in the discharge of certain function. Longman (2012) noted that availability is a state of making provision for a satisfactory standard requirement in terms of facilities to enhance effective instructional activity in a particular subject. In other words, availability can be defined as human and materials resources ready for use in teaching physical education in schools.
The importance of facilities availability cannot be overemphasized in teaching of physical and health education in schools. The availability of facilities and equipment motivates the learners, increase teachers’ efficiency and promotes the productivity of the teacher. Standard facilities and equipment prerequisites to good and impressive performance physical and health education facilities are immovable permanent structure which is utilized in teaching physical education.
Egwu (2013) noted that it is obvious that the teacher’s competency and available facilities and equipment in schools determine the coverage of syllabus and curriculum of any subject including physical and health education.
The scarcity of physical education facilities could therefore constitute a big cog in the successful teaching of physical and health education. According to Ikoja (2012), the schools’ physical and health education programme requires the availability of facilities for the attainment of the set goals.
According to Ballard, Dunn and Handison (2012) physical and health education offers the best opportunity to provide physical activity to all children to teach them the skills and knowledge needed to establish and sustain lifestyle physical education facilities is therefore of great significance to educational experiences. Physical and health education is the only subject in primary school whose goal is the total development of individuals physically, mentally, emotionally, socially through participation in physical activities. West and Bucher (2015) assert that it is the education process that uses physical activities as a means to help individuals acquire skills, fitness, knowledge and attitude.
According to Singh (2013), the aim and objectives of physical and health education is to develop human personality in its totality. Oak (2014) noted that physical education help to instill in the students values and skills of maintaining healthy lifestyle through physical education activities.
Physical education activities are concerned with one’s proper adaptation to group living. It provides ample opportunities to develop traits such as cooperation, respect to others, loyalty, sportsmanship, self-confidence and other qualities which help a person to make a good citizen. To achieve these objectives of physical and health education, a well-planned activity programme, as well as adequate facilities for implementation are necessary and should be put in place. Facilities and equipment availability enables successful implementation of any academic performance.
According to Offorma (2012) teaching is usually facilitated and more effective through one’s interaction with one’s environment. environment here refers to facilities available and utilized in teaching physical and health education. The process of teaching and learning depends upon the type of facilities available. The availability of these facilities help the teacher presents concepts in a way that learners can retain them permanently and can motivate students by making it more interesting.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Given the importance of facilities to the success of any given physical and health education programme, it would be expected that primary schools administrators would ensure the availability of up-to-date physical education facilities in public primary schools.
The prevailing problem in public primary schools in Obio/Akpor is that facilities for teaching physical education are declining steadily and are not regularly maintained this unfortunate development has become a source of worry to many teachers of Physical and Health Education in schools.
The average physical education teacher is faced with a lot of challenges as a result of the scanty and often poorly maintained physical education facilities in schools. Schools where there is no physical and health education teacher or inadequate number of teachers or teacher that studied other subjects to teach physical education may affect the utilization of the available physical education facilities. Based on the mentioned problems, the study intends to check the availability of physical education facilities in public primary schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area as it affects the teaching of the subject.
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