ABSTRACT

Physical Education is an integral and vital part of a learner's school education. It is one of the "core" subjects, endowed with the same status as English, Kiswahili and Mathematics in the secondary school curriculum. It is known for its immense benefits to the students in terms of their social and physical wellbeing. The main purpose of this study was, therefore, to determine the actual status of the Physical Education curriculum in secondary schools. The survey research method was employed to understudy the selected schools that were stratified under categories of boys only, girls only and mixed day schools, within Butere division, Kenya. A total of six schools were selected to participate in the exercise. Thirty students from each school were randomly selected using the folding of paper technique. One Physical Education teacher from each participating school was purposively selected. Thus, ther~ were a total of one hundred and eighty-six participants. Two sets of questionnaires were administered to both the participating teachers and students respectively. An observation checklist was also used to ascertain the information given by the participants. The data collected were then sorted, tallied and analyzed using the descriptive method, theme by theme. Frequency distribution tables and percentages were used to present the data. Results reveal that Physical Education is a much-valued subject among students and teachers alike in secondary schools. The limiting factor, the study notes, was the lack of adequate and properly trained personnel. Physical facilities and other relevant materials are also a big obstacle to the effective implementation of the Physical Education curriculum. As a result of the findings, it is hoped that all the concerned stakeholders will team up and ensure an effective implementation of the Physical Education curriculum, thus placing the subject on its rightful status in all secondary schools countrywide.