Factors influencing female teacher-trainees’ non-participation in physical activity and sports in colleges of education in Ashanti region of Ghana

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to examine the factors that influence female teacher-trainees’ non-participation in physical activity and sports in Colleges of Education in Ashanti Region of Ghana. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. A sample size of 351 was randomly selected from a population of 2,911 for the study. Questionnaire was the main instrument used for data collection. Descriptive statistics (Frequency, percentages, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (multiple regressions) were used in analysing and discussing the results. The study revealed that female teacher-trainees’ have a strong negative attitude (M=2.78, SD=1.43) towards participation in the physical activities and sports. Female teachertrainees’ have low participation in Physical Activity (78%). Religion (59.8%), misconception (98.8%), social role (98.8%), facilities and equipment (60.1%), sport skills foundation (99.1%), Motivation (96.6%) and academic loads (98.6%) are significant factors influencing female teacher-trainees’ non-participation in physical activities and sport in the colleges of education in the Ashanti Region, Ghana. It is recommended that Ministry of Education (MOE) and Curriculum Research Development Division (CRDD) should ensure that Physical education curriculum in Ghana is reorganised to enable students obtain necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes towards participation in physical activities and sports. The government and other stakeholders need to provide and supply modern facilities and equipment for physical activities and sports in the colleges.

Participation of girls and women in community sport in Ghana: Cultural and structural barriers

“…The assumptions that participation in sport will contribute to developing masculine features and restrict the ability to give birth can be seen as examples of hard essentialism (Messner 2018), while girls' responsibility for household chores and religious concerns can be seen as examples of soft essentialist views. As suggested in earlier research, the underlying cultural barriers to girls' and women's participation in community sports in Ghana are not new (Adam, 2014;Nkrumah and Domfeh, 2015;Sarpong et al, 2022). While the DSU participants, regardless of gender, make efforts to encourage girls to participate in community sport, they are met with stiff opposition from key social actors such as parents, religious sects and community members who adhere to obsolete gender stereotypes and long-held cultural practices such as early child marriage and house chores.…”

“…According to them, household chores for girls are time-consuming and, as a result, leave the girls with insufficient time to participate in community sport programmes. As described in studies from Ghana (Nkrumah and Domfeh, 2015) and other countries (Kay and Spaaij, 2012), girls' responsibility for household chores is taken for granted.…”

Sports coaching during the pandemic: Predicaments encountered by Filipino physical education teachers and potential strategies

“…In the existing studies on sports coaching, researchers primarily focused on the experiences of physical education teachers who coached before the pandemic. For instance, Domfeh and Kwamena (2018) found that physical education teachers handling school teams faced significant challenges but managed their roles effectively, showcasing coaches' resilience in handling setbacks (Sarkar & Hilton, 2020). Yet a noticeable gap exists in research regarding coaches' experiences during the pandemic, specifically from the perspective of physical education teachers who serve as coaches.…”

“…"There's a lot of challenges we encountered and one of those is the less financial support from the school's administration, we did not receive enough funds especially during pandemic." (Participant 4, Lines 259-260) On one hand, teaching and coaching represent distinct roles, presenting a dichotomy that requires balancing for PE teachers, which, while potentially rewarding, can also pose challenges, as noted by (Domfeh & Kwamena, 2018). On the other hand, Mulcahey et al (2021) recognise the potential for individuals to excel in both roles, yet they acknowledge the significant time commitment required, which can present challenges in achieving excellence in both areas.…”

“…Brooks et al (2020) concurred with this observation, identifying psychosocial symptoms like post-traumatic stress intensified by infection fears, prolonged quarantine, and feelings of frustration, anxiety, and depression. Generally, the heavy responsibilities that come along with being a teacher and a coach may lead to challenges that some educators find overwhelming, prompting them to reconsider their commitment to teaching and coaching, not to mention the job stress and burnout problems they experience (Domfeh & Kwamena, 2018). Thus, psychosocial issues impaired the interest and motivation of coaches and athletes to do training or participate in sporting competitions.…”