Popularization of Physical Education and Sports in Kenya's Schools

Abstract

More than three quarters of the population of Kenyan Youth spent most of their early life, up to teenage, attending school. Consequently, the school shoulders the noble responsibility of nurturing, positively influencing and shaping the young people for their future lives. The school system is expected to expose the learners to all the necessary educational activities that make significant contribution to their all-round harmonious development of mind and body. A reasonable and logically acceptable balance should be struck between involving the youth in academic and organized physical activities, that include physical Education and sports , which are beneficial to the development of their mental and physical capacities. However, lack of, and inadequate attention to physical Education and sports at the expense of academic pursuit has been observed and widely reported among many Kenyan Schools. The time that is set aside for Physical Education is used for teaching other examinable subjects in many schools. ,The strong desire to excel in national examinations compels school authorities and learners to concentrate on academic tasks while overlooking and skipping sports programmes .•This situation deprives the young people of the benefits of physical activity and sports. This paper therefore, sheds light on various ways by which Physical Education and sports can be popularized in Kenyan schools. The role of the school authorities and professionals in these areas in disseminating information on the importance of Physical Education and sports, initiating and sustaining Physical Education and Sports programmes in schools is emphasized.