By Roy Hezron
Physical Education (PE) will now be a mandatory subject in both in primary and secondary schools as part of the ongoing government’s curriculum reforms.
The order was contained in a policy titled The Physical Education and Sport Policy for Basic Education, launched on June 9, 2021 by Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha at Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).
It is meant to provide leaners with knowledge, skills, values and positive attitudes through physical and sport for healthy lifestyle and lifelong learning.
“It is important to note that all the seven core competencies in CBC are achievable through physical and sport, which will play a key role in producing an engaged, empowered and ethical citizen through nurturing every learner’s potential,” said Prof. Magoha.
There are three major courses of action in the CBC at the Senior Secondary School Level which are the Arts and Sports Science, Social Sciences and Science Technical Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
The new policy will guide the government and other education stakeholders to operationalize the Arts and Sports Science pathway in basic education learning institutions.
“For a long time, the Government has considered this pathway the untapped learning area in our country,” said Prof. Magoha.
The policy will enhance access, equity and inclusion in physical education and sport for all learners.
It will also provide age-appropriate disciplines to nurture learner’s talents and strengthen governance, accountability and integrity in physical education and sport.
The policy will also enhance capacity for teachers or facilitators and managers of physical education and sport, promote traditional sports and games to embrace cultural diversity and also promote peaceful co-existence and social integration through physical education and sport.
“It is important to note that all the seven core competencies in CBC are achievable through sport to produce an engaged, empowered and ethical citizen through nurturing every learner’s potential,” added Prof. Magoha.
This therefore implies that moving forward, all primary and secondary schools will be required to have sports clubs and committees to manage the teaching of physical education.
They will have trained teachers to teach the subject and also be retrained regularly since the subject will be compulsory in both primary and secondary schools.
“Research indicates that active participation in quality physical education and sport instills a positive attitude towards physical activity, hence decreasing the chances of young people engaging in risky behavior,” stated Prof. Magoha.
He added that “Physical education and sport impact positively on academic performance, while providing a platform for wider social inclusion.”
Although physical education is currently taught in schools, it is taken casually by learners and teachers because it is elective, non-examinable and rarely enforced.
Despite the fact that the subject is timetabled, its slot is usually taken up by teachers eager to complete their syllabi for the examinable subjects and quality assurance officers rarely show any interest in it during their frequent visits to schools.
“I therefore call upon all of us and our learning institutions, to ensure physical education and sports given priority in their daily learning activities,” emphasized Prof. Magoha.
Kenya Primary Schools’ Heads Association (KEPSHA) National Chairman Johnson Nzioka who is also head teacher Donholm Primary in Nairobi stated that public primary schools are ready to implement the policy since it’s not a new policy to them and that fields are available.
“Public Schools are ready because what they need is only the field so there will be no challenge,” said Nzioka.
However, the policy might face a number of challenges in implementing it since at the moment, many schools do not have the facilities and infrastructure like playgrounds, equipment, and qualified trainers.
During promotion, PE teachers are often overlooked since it’s hard to demonstrate their ability in a subject that is not examinable.
