TASUED Prof calls for compulsory teaching of PHE in secondary schools
Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
A Professor of Sports and Exercise Psychology from Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode, Olanrewaju Adeola Ipinmoroti has called for the reintroduction of Physical Health Education as a stand alone subject and making it compulsory at the Junior secondary schools
Prof. Olanrewaju Adeola Ipinmoroti made this submission while delivering the 7th Inaugural Lecture of the university on Thursday.
The inaugural lecture has as its topic “Rebranding The Kinetics Discourse: The Desire, The Demands, The Determination.”
Prof. Ipinmoroti lamented the poor attention given to the place of Physical Health Education in Nigeria School System curriculum noting that it had gone from grace to grass.
He noted that sporting fiesta of the past like the Principal Cup and the Inter House Sports competition used to be the avenue where raw talents were discovered, moulded and pushed to the national and international stage.
The University Don thus recommended that government at all levels as a matter of urgent national importance should encourage sports person and Physical Health Education students by awarding special bursary so as to nip in the bud the present problem of non availability of teachers for the subject.
The Professor of Exercise Psychology also emphasised that the National Universities Commission (NUC), should make provision for all University students to take specified units of Physical Health Education or Sports as a criteria for graduation as this will help such students to be physically active couple with picking up other sporting skills that could be useful to them outside the school.
Prof Ipinmoroti also advised the nation’s sports administrators, that for Nigeria to remain globally relevant, efforts should be put in place for judicious funding of infrastructure and equipment.
The Lecturer implored employers of labour to create enabling environment for their staff to engage in physical exercise as this, he said, usually encourages bonding, team work, higher self esteem and higher confidence.He noted that regular exercise also redeems individual health.
