PHYSICAL EDUCATION, SCHOOL SPORT AND OLYMPIC VALUES AS FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Abstract

South Africa is one of few countries where Physical Education (PE) is not taught as a stand-alone subject in public schools. The passion for sport in the country, and the lack of (or poor quality) PE for South African children and youth, creates a huge imbalance and a deficit for their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual development. This article addresses both past and existing challenges and argues for the reintroduction and establishment of PE as a subject in South African schools. The research findings highlight the need for policy advocacy and policy review, increased communication and active support to ensure PE is implemented across all schools. It also emphasizes the necessity of developing norms and standards for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) offering sport development and peace programs and for the training of PE and sports teachers and coaches to include values-based approaches such as the Olympic Values Education Project (OVEP) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) into their teaching repertoire.

Keywords
Sport; Physical Education; Olympic Education; South Africa

Resumo

A África do Sul é um dos poucos países onde a Educação Física (EF) não é ensinada como uma disciplina independente nas escolas públicas. A paixão pelo esporte no país, juntamente com a falta de EF (ou a baixa qualidade da mesma) para crianças e jovens sul-africanas, cria um enorme desequilíbrio e um déficit em seu desenvolvimento físico, mental, emocional e espiritual. Este artigo aborda os desafios passados e atuais e defende a reintrodução e o estabelecimento da EF como uma disciplina nas escolas sul-africanas. As conclusões da pesquisa destacam a necessidade de defesa e revisão de políticas e maior comunicação e apoio para garantir que a EF seja implementada em todas as escolas. Também enfatiza a necessidade de desenvolver normas e padrões para Organizações Não Governamentais que oferecem programas de esporte para o desenvolvimento e a paz, e para a formação de professores de EF e treinadores esportivos, de modo a incluir, em seu repertório de ensino, abordagens baseadas em valores, como o Projeto de Educação em Valores Olímpicos (OVEP) do Comitê Olímpico Internacional.

Palavras-chave
Esporte; Educação Física; Educação Olímpica; África do Sul

Resumen

Sudáfrica es uno de los pocos países donde la Educación Física (EF) no se enseña como una asignatura independiente en las escuelas públicas. La pasión por el deporte en el país, junto con la falta de EF (o su baja calidad) para los niños e jóvenes sudafricanos, crea un enorme desequilibrio y un déficit en su desarrollo físico, mental, emocional y espiritual. Este artículo aborda los desafíos pasados y presentes y aboga por la reintroducción y el establecimiento de la EF como una asignatura en las escuelas sudafricanas. Los hallazgos de la investigación destacan la necesidad de defensa y revisión de políticas, mayor comunicación y apoyo para garantizar que la EF se implemente en todas las escuelas. También se enfatiza la necesidad de desarrollar normas y estándares para las Organizaciones No Gubernamentales que ofrecen programas deportivos para el desarrollo y la paz, y para la formación de profesores de EF y entrenadores deportivos, con el fin de incluir, en su repertorio de enseñanza, enfoques basados en valores, como el Proyecto de Educación en Valores Olímpicos (OVEP) del Comité Olímpico Internacional.

Palabras clave
Deporte; Educación Física; Educación Olímpica; Sudáfrica

1 INTRODUCTION

In 1960, Fidel (Castro) explained the facts to the Cuban people and asked for a thousand men and women who had education beyond the level of second year high school, to volunteer to go into the most remote areas of the country to teach Reading and Writing, Hygiene, and Nutrition. Five thousand people from all walks of life answered the call – including doctors and engineers who had to be dissuaded from going because the Revolution needed them in their own professions.

(Huberman; Sweezy 1983).

Unlike Cuba, South Africa did not have a social ‘revolution’ and the revolutionary zeal that made it possible for Cuba to achieve so much in education and health is absent in contemporary South Africa – a country in which the ‘burden of the past’ has become the ‘burden of the present’, not only through the legacy of Apartheid since 1948, but indeed the legacy of three centuries of deprivation before democratization in 1994. The majority of the population lives in poverty. South Africa has surpassed Brazil as the most unequal country in the world in terms of income inequality and a Gini coefficient of 0.67%.

The South African Government claims to lack the necessary funds that are essential to revolutionise education. Whereas in 2020 the US and the UK spent 0.9% of GDP on higher education and Germany spent 1.1%, South Africa spent 0.75%. Latest research has shown that 61% of spending on higher education occurs in North America and Western Europe compared to 4.5% of spending on higher education in Africa, a third of it in South Africa. Only 2.4% of Africans enter tertiary education. (Statista, 2023) These are the realities of the South African situation, when one looks at prospects for an integrated curriculum for quality education, including Physical Education (PE). On the current path, Africa’s total expenditure on education is projected to reach 5% of GDP by 2043. At the regional level, Southern Africa has the highest expenditure on education estimated at 5.6% of GDP, followed by North Africa at 5% of GDP (ISS Africa, 2024).

Despite celebrating 30 years of democracy, South Africa can still very much be regarded as a country in transition. Emerging from years of struggle against Apartheid, its people have been facing the challenges of transforming a society weakened and corrupted by misrule, mismanagement and exploitation into a vibrant and successful democracy. The task of transformation is greater than reconstructing the systems and structures that sustain any society (Keim, 2008, 2010). It requires a fundamental shift in attitude in the way in which people relate to each other and their environment, and in the way that resources are deployed to achieve society’s goals.

Transformation involves every aspect of South African life, and the education and sport systems are no exception. Far-reaching organisational and structural changes were instituted to address the severe imbalances in provision and strong bureaucratic controls over the system. The provision of the Department of Education’s National Education Policy and the South African Schools Act¹ as well as provincial legislation and policy documents addressed the way forward regarding ‘Education in the New South Africa’. In the process, major educational changes occurred in South Africa with the transition from a traditional education system of the past years to a new approach resulted in Outcomes Based Education (OBE). These changes affected the whole country, and the National Department of Education coordinated the process. The changes were first introduced for Grades 1 and 7 in 1998. The White Paper on Education and Training² identified as a major problem the fact that South Africa has never had a truly national system of education in the past and provides for the first time a single national education system, organised and managed on a provincial level (Republic of South Africa, 1997, 1998).

The White Paper also emphasizes the integration of education and training, as there is a need for economic growth and job creation. It proposes that we regard education and training as a life-long process – life-long learning and development (Republic of South Africa, 2000). This integrated approach to education and training rejects the division between academic and applied knowledge, between theory and practice, and between knowledge and skills. Instead, it promotes principles of equity, redress, non-discrimination, democracy, access and justice. For the first time, high-quality education has been made available to everyone in South Africa, irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity, colour, religion, ability or language.

PE, however, became a stepchild in this new system and as a subject in South African schools had its own quite different journey, having been removed from the South African school curriculum in 1995 as a stand-alone subject. It was partially reintroduced in 2009 as part of the subject Life Orientation, where it only counts one third, if it is offered at all. Since Life Orientation teachers do not have to offer PE in their lessons, the majority of children in South African public schools finish high school without having been involved in any kind of sport.

This situation raises ethical questions around fairness, responsibility, respect and integrity, since an equal playing field for all children and youth is not provided in terms of their education including sport, which violates the basic principles of integrity and fairness.

Learners should not be disadvantaged based on their geographical setting or economic situation when it comes to PE participation. The Department of Education, school principals, educators, parents, Governing Boards of schools and government officials should ensure respect for the established and accepted rules and guidelines, and the commitment of the South African government to policies and guidelines such as MINEPS (Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Physical Education and Sport) and CIGEPS (Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport) resolutions, and the Kazan Action Plan.

These global bodies offer a range of programmes which are very easily adaptable by educators and can be implemented both in the school PE curriculum and also for after-hours sport. Examples include the Olympic Values Educational Programme (OVEP) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), or more recently the updated version of OVEP, called OVEP Flex; the ‘I’m possible’ Programme of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC); and the ‘Fit for Life’ Programme of UNESCO. The Commonwealth Sport and SDG Toolkit (2020) is available for impact evaluation of the sport programmes related to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and should be more widely used.

All the above adhere to the universal Olympic and Paralympic values and promote ethical principles such as respect, fair play, equality, determination and friendship (to name but a few), to ensure the promotion of the values of sport for peace, development and education.

2 GENERAL RESEARCH PROBLEM

The issue being addressed in this study is a poor understanding of the effect of the lack of (or poor quality of) PE offered to South African children and youth, and a lack of policy implementation regarding access to and practise of PE, which denies human rights and disadvantages both learners and educators. This is especially true of the important function of values-based sport programmes and the role that Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) might play in this respect.

The South African Government has also failed to act on the need for policy reform to incorporate Quality Physical Education (QPE) as a school subject and to level the playing field for all learners. One problem is co-ordinating a joint effort from various government departments, since PE falls under the Department of Education, whereas afternoon sport falls under the National Department for Sport; and all sport in South Africa is governed by the National Sport and Recreation Plan of South Africa (NSRP), which was instituted in 2011. (A review of the NSRP is currently under way.)

According to Article 1 of the International Charter of Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport of UNESCO (2015a), access to and practice of PE and sport is seen as a fundamental right for every human being as they are both considered essential for their holistic development. South Africa was for 10 years the chair of sport and peace in the International UN Working Group, and was chairing CIGEPS, as well as serving as Vice-chair of MINEPS since 2024. These prestigious positions stand in contrast to the fact that the majority of South African children cannot benefit from what PE can offer them and finish their schooling without having been exposed to heathy physical activities or participated in any PE lessons or school sport.

3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The research objectives of the study were to identify policy constraints regarding PE in South African schools, to identify and assess key priority areas and opportunities regarding the implementation of PE at schools, especially from the perspective of school principals and teachers, and to explore the role that NGOs, Universities and Government can play in making up for the lack of PE and increasing mass sport activities at school. It is also the objective of the research to influence the debate in South Africa by providing evidence-based research findings and recommendations to decision-makers to improve PE and school sport activities, and to include Olympic and Paralympic Values in the training of teachers and coaches.

4 METHODOLOGY

This desk study was conceptual and qualitative in nature, consulting research on ethical issues in sport and values-based approaches to learning, as well as other major research projects (see below). This study also specifically made use of the views and perceptions of educators, school principals and teachers who were exposed to Olympic education and training by the University of the Western Cape (UWC), through survey questionnaires and interviews.

The research sources for this study included:

• Desk study research and the use of our existing body of knowledge and research basis on youth and sport programmes including results from various post-graduate research projects through Master and PhD studies at UWC.

• These experiences encompass direct involvement in both MOD Centre (Mass participation; Opportunity and access; Development and growth) and NGO research. The desk study research includes the Case for Sport Research Report (De Coning, 2018) regarding socio-economic benefits of sport and recreation, as well as the Study on Sport Policy in Africa (Keim; De Coning, 2014). This material includes an institutional assessment and the research in this report solicited lessons of experience relevant to National Government, provincial government departments as well as sports federations and clubs.

• Evaluation results from OVEP Training with teachers in Botswana, coaches in the Cape Town Metropole and educators in Olympia, Greece.

• A survey done on the needs of schools comprising of 20 schools in the Western Cape area that included disadvantaged schools. This survey used research schedules and especially focused on the views of school principals as a need existed to provide information especially regarding the public sector context.

• The study facilitated two focus groups discussions respectively with practitioners from NGOs and senior academics and researchers, as well as Master and PhD scholars in the field, in order to solicit lessons of experience from NGOs.

• The evaluation results of questionnaires conducted with 100 teachers who were exposed to Olympic values education training in 2024 by the UWC in cooperation with the Western Cape Education Department (WCED, 2024).

The research specifically focused on four South African Provinces, the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State and Gauteng and selected experiences where University, NGOs or Corporate Social investment (CSI) actors were directly involved with schools. Six organizations were identified in the above provinces as being able to provide the best insight and information regarding their programmes and their involvement in PE in schools and after school sport during the week and on weekends. Of these six organizations, three were corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives which had formed partnerships with schools and had operations in all the provinces around the country. The remaining three organizations were NGOs which were based in the Eastern and Western Cape respectively of which as the UWC.

5 PHYSICAL EDUCATION, SCHOOL SPORT AND THE EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT

The research conducted for the assessment of sport policy in eleven countries in Africa (Keim; De Coning, 2014) showed that South Africa was the only country to have abolished PE from the curriculum, even though PE has been re-introduced in the curriculum since 2009 as part of the subject Life Orientation. The research aims to address the challenges that hinder the full implementation of PE.

From the start of democracy, the South African curriculum is built on the values that inspired the South African Constitution (Act 108 of 1996). The Preamble to the Constitution states that the aims are:

• To heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights;

• To improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person;

• And lay the foundations for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is equally protected by law; and

• Build a united and democratic South Africa able to take its rightful place as a sovereign state in the family of nations.

Education and the curriculum have an important role to play in realising these aims. Even though the Ministry of Education alludes to the fact that education and the curriculum are important aspects in achieving these outcomes, South Africa has experienced a number of curriculum changes, adjustments and revisions which affected the curriculum. In 1997 OBE was introduced with a review in the year 2000, which led to the first curriculum revision with the introduction of Curriculum 2005. The Revised National Curriculum Statements Grades R to 9 and the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10 to 12 (2002) followed. Ongoing implementation challenges resulted in another review in 2009, and the Department of Basic Education (DBE) revised the Revised National Curriculum Statement (2002) and the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10 to 12 to the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS).

In her foreword to the CAPS document, the then Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga, stated in 2011 that the National Curriculum is the culmination of efforts over a period of seventeen years to transform the curriculum. The amendments of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) came into effect in January 2012. A single comprehensive CAPS document was developed to replace Subject Statements, Learning Programme Guidelines and Subject Assessments Guidelines (Grades R to 12) (Republic of South Africa, 2011c).

In the CAPS document, PE in grades 1 to 6 (Foundation and Intermediate Phase) is part of the subject Life Skills, which consists of: Beginning Knowledge, Creative Arts, Personal and Social Wellbeing and PE. In the NCS, PE in grades 1 to 6 (Foundation and Intermediate Phases) is called Physical Development and is also part of Life Skills. Life Skills in NCS document consists of Health Promotion, Social Development, Personal Development and Movement (Republic of South Africa, 2011a, 2011b, 2013).

In the General Education and Training (GET) phase of the CAPS, PE is part of five subjects in Life Orientation: development of self in society, health, social and environmental responsibility, constitutional rights and responsibilities, world of work and PE.

In the Further Education and Training (FET) phase of the CAPS, Life Orientation is compulsory for all learners in grades 10, 11 and 12. The subject contains the following six topics in grades 10 to 12: Development of the self in society; Social and environmental responsibility; Democracy and human rights; Careers and career choices; Study skills; and PE. Instead of being part of six topics in the subject Life Orientation, PE and school sport policy should include a sustainable programme which does not disadvantage any group (Republic of South Africa, 2012a, 2012b, 2012c). It becomes important that the ‘playing fields’ should be leveled to achieve transformation and reform in the South African context. In terms of school sport, the Case for Sport Research completed by Interdisciplinary Centre of Excellence for Sports Science and Development (ICSSD/UWC) and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) shows that physical activity in youth-at-risk periods is critical to ensure the well-being of the youth. NGOs have developed and are offering important bridging education and training where PE at schools has fallen short. The role of sport federations is a crucial one in this context especially in the after hour offering of school sport.

The QPE Report published by UNESCO in early 2021 shows that this initiative has been successful in affecting substantive policy reforms to the national policies of governments by providing a QPE Policy Toolkit (UNESCO, 2015b) as well as technical assistance support, but also in policy development by international and national sports federations, such as developing policies on safeguarding, climate change and gender equity priorities.

Another approach includes the role NGOs and universities can play in the skills transfer to educators in their respective settings. Exchanges on the challenges at hand, joint assessment, planning and implementation and forming partnerships and MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) to address shortcomings and offer joint trainings to educators and coaches with values-based approach can be an effective way to counter the shortfalls outlined above.

RESULTS

The research conducted for this study required an assessment of the quality and relevance of the above curriculum in term of its appropriateness with regards to international standards but also the particular South African requirements. It is quite apparent that school sport after hours and high-performance sport at club and federation levels follow logically from the above PE curriculum. Specific recommendation will be made in this respect regarding design considerations for sport and development programmes at schools as well as for the importance of policy development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation (Cloete; De Coning, 2018).

Additional findings include that an overwhelming percentage (98%) of persons interviewed rated PE as being important to a child’s development. Most schools did not have qualified Life Orientation teachers although an abundance of qualified teachers exist, many of whom are unemployed. Educators apparently did not give PE its rightful status as a subject, since PE periods were often used to teach other subjects. This was reflected by the fact that many schools attached little value to PE by appointing generalist teachers. In certain cases, physical activity was non-existent, and the Life Orientation focus was on HIV/AIDS. Following this lead, learners did not attach value and importance to physical activity.

It was also evident that there is a definite need and motivation from the side of the teachers to be exposed to the latest developments, including values-based education approaches, Olympic history, Olympism as a philosophy in life, and Olympic and Paralympic programmes such as OVEP, in theory but also in practice. The recently implemented Olympic education initiative in the Western Cape by UWC and the WCED which focused on exposing and upskilling 100 teachers in Olympic values education training, consisting of examples for implementation with learners at their schools, shows that such initiatives are much needed. The programme covered the history of the Olympic Games, including ancient and modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin’s Olympic vision and teachings on Olympism, Olympic Philosophy, Olympic values and Olympic education, the organization and governance of the IOC and the IPC, and the Olympic Movement. It also covered the Olympic Movement and the SDG, and sport’s contribution to the SDG – to peace, gender equality, diversity and inclusion, and physical activity and wellbeing.

7 OPPORTUNITIES FOR VALUES-BASED APPROACHES IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION, SCHOOL SPORT AND TEACHER EDUCATION

The majority of school principals agreed that the major problem with PE at school is that although schools now follow the CAPS curriculum, various reasons exist why this is not effective. These reasons include limited time allocated to PE, a lack of teacher training in PE, and teachers’ low regard for PE. There is a dearth of PE teachers in schools, and PE positions are not created and appointed by government.

An important point made by school principals is that, because of poor PE during school time and as part of the curricula in the past, gaps exist in the foundation and core elements of the PE of learners, and after-school programmes should thus often assist with such foundation support, rather than focusing on competitive sport. A need also exists for training and coaching in a wide variety of sport types, since many children are not catered for when only the mainstream sport types are offered. A school principal remarked that:

I sometimes have a boy of say, 12 years old, who is slightly overweight but does not show interest in competing with the other boys in rugby or soccer. If he is able to develop an interest in, say, play active table tennis, then we are successful at improving his level of activity and other psycho-social behavioral aspects. There are many kids like that. Actually, the majority of kids fall in that category

(Desai, 2011).

A brief glimpse at what principals regarded as some of the key factors that makes school sport successful at so-called ‘advantaged’ schools are also worth considering, as some of these factors may be incorporated in sport and development programmes at schools. These factors included:

• PE and school sport are regarded as part of the culture of the school population;

• Many parents enrol their children at these schools because of this PE/school sport culture;

• A variety of school sport offered by teachers and specialist coaches training different codes;

• Many children are participating at the excellence level;

• Bursaries are offered to potentially talented individuals for different codes of sport, also at clubs and federations;

• Most of the infrastructure at advantaged schools was provided pre-1994 and that a historical disadvantage still exists;

• Corporate responsibility could be provided in the form of funding elite athletes from disadvantaged communities who are offered bursaries;

• Hostel accommodation where these athletes can stay will save on transport and have a dietary plan/regular meal every day;

• Support to ‘bursary athletes’ from disadvantaged communities.

Written evaluations from the two groups of 50 teachers who took part in the training on ‘Olympic education in theory and practice’ in 2024 showed that the teachers gained professional and personal experience that they felt was invaluable:

When both groups were asked what they enjoyed most, the responses included: teamwork, team spirit, unity and respect amongst all, new skills, the games, interactive approach, participating, the values, the transferability in that what was learned can be brought to their schools on a daily basis. They also felt that through the passion with which the facilitators conveyed the Olympic values in their teaching they ignited the same passion in others

(WCED, 2024).

This training sensitized educators about the importance of ethics and values-based education and the role sport and PE can play. It also provided the teachers with new skills and additional material which motivates them to implement PE at their school, for now as part of the Life Orientation programme, but in future hopefully for PE as a stand-alone subject.

Overall, our research findings show that the following issues need to be addressed in future policy submissions to Government:

1. PE being given legal status, equal to all other subjects;

2. Specialist teachers to be trained and appointed to teach PE;

3. Resources for sport and PE to be made available to all South Africans;

4. School sport should flow out of PE with all the necessary resources made available for mass participation (monetary, coaches, facilities, equipment, training of coaches/teachers);

5. Schools Norms and Standards (monetary allocation per child per annum) should include funding for PE;

6. The school’s establishment (allocation of teachers) should make provision for male and female PE teachers as per number of learners in school;

7. The skewed quintile system should be reassessed so that we can have redress and equity;

8. PE should not suffer from decreasing curriculum time, allocating budgeting controls with inadequate finance, material and personnel resources, low subject status and esteem;

9. We note the marginalisation and under-valuation by authorities, role players and stakeholders;

10. PE occupies a tenuous place in the school curriculum and is not accepted on par with ‘superior’ academic subjects;

11. PE was removed from the curriculum when OBE was introduced. The decline in physical activity was due to the decision to remove the specialist PE teacher from schools, and teacher training colleges were closed post 1995. It was further established that the decline was due to the integration of physical development and movement into Life Orientation;

12. In township schools, poverty, malnutrition and the Apartheid legacy were major factors, in particular impacting on the extramural programmes of township schools. This was also found in the farm and agriculture schools and schools in the rural areas;

13. Each school is unique. Township schools (black/coloured) still lack the infrastructure, resources (physical, human and monetary) to deliver school sport. Post-1994, due to rationalization, human capital has diminished. This places an extra burden on school governing bodies to financially sustain schools;

14. Federations and sport activists constantly press for development strategies so that government officials can change policy for transformation and reform. Federations therefore use their constituencies to exert pressure on the Department of Education and Department of Sport and Recreation. NGOs, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and companies that sponsor sporting events place pressure on federations to have representative teams;

15. CAPS is therefore not a new policy, but a revised one. PE still does not have equal legal status to other subjects, just a slight increase in time.

16. The importance of health education to overall development needs to be reinforced at the policy level, with participation by policy actors such as administrators, other subject teachers in schools, the health departments, parents and children;

17. There is a need to add values-based education and Olympic and Paralympic education to the curriculum and to the training of all teachers and coaches in South Africa. This can be facilitated by the Education Department in cooperation with NGOs and universities, in terms of In-service training of teachers in this important field;

18. Local sports women and men, as well as Olympic and Paralympic Champions, African champions, coaches and managers should be included in the curriculum as motivational speakers and role models for ethical behavior. They can then be enabled to promote Olympic values of excellence, respect, fair play, friendship, joy of effort, balance of body, will, mind and spirit; and Paralympic values of courage, equality, determination and perseverance of the youth in sport and life;

19. Some schools should become part of an international network of Pierre de Coubertin Schools, to be connected, exchange and work in partnerships locally and globally.

8 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

At the school level the research conducted has shown that there is a definite relationship between successful life orientation and sport and development programmes offered at disadvantaged schools and the competency and attitude of school principals. Where school principals took the leadership, active life orientation, sport and development initiatives resulted. Also in disadvantaged schools, the prevalence and active involvement of School Governing Bodies is regarded as an important success factor. It was also found that the presence of a critical mass of teachers with a positive and constructive attitude towards education and the role of sport in this respect.

On a local level it was found that NGOs played a meaningful role in assisting schools with school sport programmes as well as mass sport and development initiatives. It was found that massification of sport initiatives such as the MOD Centres by Government made an important contribution to increased activity but also to social cohesion and improved psycho-social behavior.

In terms of institutional arrangements concerning partnerships with different actors and service providers, the general picture with disadvantaged schools that emerges is that the vast majority of schools at this level does not enjoy the support of any NGOs with very few dedicated programmes other than occasional events. It is therefore advisable to do an assessment of which NGOs (including clubs, but also colleges and universities) exist nearby and which might work in a coordinated way and in partnership.

The training of educators in cooperation with the Department of Education is essential. These training initiatives have the potential to sensitize educators about the importance of ethics and values-based education, and the role sport and PE can play. It also provides the teachers with new skills and additional material, which motivates them to implement PE at their school as part of the Life Orientation programme.

Educator’s/teachers’ feedback demonstrated that they are in desperate need to improve their PE content and implementation and the theoretical and practical components of the Olympic education training allowed them to connect to values, reflect on their impact in school and home life, but also gave them a sense of empowerment, motivation and joy to implement the programme in their classrooms. A further step which some of the schools are presently exploring is joining the network of International Pierre de Coubertin Schools through the South African Pierre de Coubertin Committee.

The QPE Project (UNESCO, 2021) shows that global initiatives with multiple stakeholders are also able to draw the world’s attention to this process, thereby winning over significant political and diplomatic support for such an initiative. In countries once resisting any PE reforms, a wave of positivism regarding the benefits of PE has been experienced and Ministers once opposed to increasing PE classes reconsidering as a result of evidence-based information that became available through the QPE Project. The Project warrants further attention as a global initiative and major initiatives such as the Kazan Action Plan, the IOC Education Commission Programme, the Commonwealth initiative Global Sport and SDG Impact Indicators, to name but a few, and other similar programmes can support the future QPE effort at national, continental and global level.

It is concluded that in terms of the need for increased advocacy of values-based education through PE and school sport, it is a priority to support much needed policy changes in public policy concerning school sport and PE but also to advocate the rightful emphasis and proportional share that values-based school programmes in PE and school sport should enjoy in the implementation of such policies through planning and actual educational practices in government. It was also found that the role of NGOs should be recognized, and that norms and standards for sport and development programmes should be developed. The Commonwealth Toolkit and indicators for Sports for Development and Peace can serve as an international example in this regard as it shows how PE, sports and physical activity initiatives lead to social, environmental and economic impacts at scale (Commonwealth Secretariat, 2020). Mass school sport in the afternoons also should be increased.

The role universities and colleges can play in the transfer of skills and values-based education in PE and sport to educators, teachers and coaches should not be underestimated. In-service education opportunities and training programmes for teachers and coaches focused on values-based education and universal Olympic and Paralympic Values should be promoted and regularly implemented with novice and mature teachers as well as with coaches for after-hour sport programmes.

Only when we have implemented (some of) these recommendations will we be in a position to claim that we truly comply with the Article 1 of the International Charter of Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport of UNESCO (2015a), as referenced earlier in this article.

• 1
  South African Schools Act. Available at: https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201409/act84of1996.pdf. Accessed on: July 16, 2024.
• 2
  White Paper on Education and Training. 1985. Available at: https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201409/16312gen1960.pdf. Accessed on: July 16, 2024.

• HOW TO CITE
  KEIM, Marion. Physical education, school sport and Olympic values as fundamental rights in South Africa. Movimento, v. 30, p. e30059, Jan./Dec. 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22456/1982-8918.143567
• FUNDING
  This study was not supported by funding sources.

References

• CLOETE, Fanie; DE CONING, Christo. Models, theories and paradigms for analysing public policy. In: CLOETE, Fanie; DE CONING, Christo; WISSINK, Henry; RABIE, Babette (ed). Improving public policy for good governance. 4. ed. Pretoria: Van Schaik, 2018. p. 33-77.
• COMMONWEALTH SECRETARIAT. Measuring the contribution of sport, physical education and physical activity to the Sustainable Development Goals: Sport and SDG Toolkit. Version 4. London: Commonwealth Secretariat, 2020.
• DE CONING, Christo. The Case for Sport: socio-economic benefits of sport and recreation. Cape Town: Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport: ICSSD: UWC, 2018.
• DESAI, Anver. Policy agenda-setting and the use of analytical agenda-setting models for school sport and physical education in South Africa 2011. Cape Town. Thesis (Doctoral Degree in Philosophy) - Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, School of Government, University of The Western Cape, 2011.
• HUBERMAN, Leo; SWEEZY, Paul. M. Introduction to Socialism New York; London: Monthly Review Press, 1973.
• ISS AFRICA. African Futures. 6 Education 2024. Disponível em: https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/06-education/ Acesso em: 16 jul. 2024.
  » https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/06-education/
• KEIM, Marion. Building peace through sport in Western Cape. African Peace and Conflict Journal, v. 1, n. 1, Dec. 2008. Addis Ababa: University for Peace, 2008.
• KEIM, Marion. Giving a voice to youth - sport as a model for education and integration in South Africa. IOC, 7th World Forum on Sport, Education & Culture, 7 December 2010.
• KEIM, Marion; DE CONING, Christo (ed). Sport and development policy in Africa: results of a collaborative study of selected and country cases. Stellenbosch: Sun Press, 2014.
• REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA. Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996.
• REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA. Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa. Getting the Nation to Play. White Paper: Sport and Recreation South Africa. Pretoria: Government Press, 1997.
• REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA. Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa. White Paper Pretoria: Government Printer, 1998.
• REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA. Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport. School Sport Policy DCAS, 2000.
• REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA. Department of Education. Draft National Curriculum Statement for Grades R to 9: Life Orientation (Schools). Pretoria, South Africa: Department of Education, 2011.
• REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA. National Sport and Recreation Act (110/1998): bidding and hosting of international sport and recreation events regulations (Gazette Number 33211 – Regulation 433), 2011a.
• REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA. School sport mass participation policy, 2011b.
• REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA. Department of Basic Education. National Curriculum Statement (NCS): Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), FET Grades 10-12. Republic of South Africa, 2011c. Disponível em: https://www.education.gov.za/Curriculum/CurriculumAssessmentPolicyStatements(CAPS).aspx Acesso em: 16 jul., 2024.
  » https://www.education.gov.za/Curriculum/CurriculumAssessmentPolicyStatements(CAPS).aspx
• REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA. Department of Basic Education. Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa. Draft School Sport Policy for Schools in South Africa: (revised 10 November 2009, revised 4 March 2010). Pretoria, 2012a.
• REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA. Department of Basic Education. Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa. School Sports Leagues: briefing by Department of Basic Education and Sport and Recreation. 29 May 2012b.
• REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA. Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa. National Sport and Recreation Plan (NSRP) Pretoria, 2012c. Disponível em: https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201409/nasional-sport-and-recretion-plan-draft-200.pdf Acesso em: 16 jul., 2024.
  » https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201409/nasional-sport-and-recretion-plan-draft-200.pdf
• REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA. Department of Basic Education. Department of Sport and Recreation. Guidelines for the establishment of code committees to support school sport, 2013.
• STATISTA. Expenditure on higher education as a share of GDP in selected countries worldwide in 2020, by source of funding 2023. Available atDisponível em: https://www.statista.com/statistics/707557/higher-education-spending-share-gdp/ Acesso em: 16 jul. 2024.
  » https://www.statista.com/statistics/707557/higher-education-spending-share-gdp/
• UNESCO. Final evaluation report of the QPE project: analysis and evaluation of the QPE policy revision process. Paris: UNESCO: Division of Youth and Sport, Sector for Social and Human Sciences, 2021.
• UNESCO. International Charter of Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport 2015a. Disponível em: https://www.unesco.org/en/sport-and-anti-doping/international-charter-sport Acesso em: 16 jul. 2024.
  » https://www.unesco.org/en/sport-and-anti-doping/international-charter-sport
• UNESCO. Quality Physical Education (QPE): guidelines for policy makers. Paris: UNESCO, 2015b. Disponível em: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000231101 Acesso em: 16 jul. 2024.
  » https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000231101
• WCED – WESTERN CAPE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. Teachers’ workshop of the Western Cape Education Department, jan – jun. 2024. [Internal notes]

Edited by

• EDITORIAL RESPONSIBILITY
  Alberto Reinaldo Reppold Filho*, Alex Branco Fraga*, Elisandro Schultz Wittizorecki*, Irena Martínková **, Jim Parry**, Mauro Myskiw*, Raquel da Silveira*
  *Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Escola de Educação Física, Fisioterapia e Dança, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
  **Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  20 Dec 2024
• Date of issue
  2024

History

• Received
  25 Sept 2024
• Accepted
  26 Oct 2024
• Published
  14 Nov 2024