Physical Education in South Africa: Will we come full circle?
While Physical Education (PE) features in the South African school curriculum, it is actually not a standalone subject and is often taught by teachers not trained in the subject. The actual implementation, as well as the proposed reintroduction of PE as a stand-alone subject are the subject of current discussions.
Physical Education (PE) in South Africa has been the subject of constant curriculum reforms with far-reaching consequences. Prior to 1994, physical education existed as an independent subject. In 1997, PE was developed into a learning outcome of a new learning area entitled Life Orientation in the new curriculum, Curriculum 2005. Shortly after, a revised national curriculum was introduced. A second revision of the curriculum took place in 2009 and resulted in Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements for each subject.
The actual implementation, as well as the proposed reintroduction of PE as a stand-alone subject are the subject of current (political) discussions, which are also being initiated by the new Sports, Arts and Culture minister Gayton McKenzie to try to answer the question: “Will PE come full circle and be reintroduced as a stand-alone subject in public schools in South Africa in the future?”
The South African Department of Education needs to be convinced of the necessity for optimal PE provision in schools and advocate for policy changes that prioritize Physical Education as an important part of the curriculum, with trained PE teachers leading this effort. The Ministry will seek to implement a school sports program in partnership with the Ministry of Basic Education through a renewed Memorandum of Understanding.
However, this implementation will certainly take years and appears to be a complex undertaking, as the difficulties often lie in the organizational details of the complex teaching structure in public schools. Should this implementation of PE as a stand-alone subject be realized positively in future, it would have far-reaching and positive effects on the quality of Physical Education and consequently on the health of the schoolchildren and would therefore be entirely in line with UNESCO's intentions, strategies and objectives ( Quality Physical Education programme).