Abstract
M.Phil. (Sport Science)
South Africa and its educational system had to move on from the inequalities that were formed during the apartheid system. In order for this to take place, the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) was developed and Life Orientation (LO) formed part of this statement. However, according to the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), LO in the Intermediate Phase is known as Life Skills (LS) and there are only four outcomes. Physical Education (PE) is seen as one of the outcomes of LS and one of the major outcomes that promote health in schools. This research investigated the current state and status to determine whether there is a gap within the delivery of PE in the intermediate schooling phase (Grade 4-6). All learners require a holistic developmental approach in accordance with their health and the development of their cognitive, social, psychomotor, affective and physical domains. The aim of PE is therefore to address this development through movement. With this study, the same design and data collection methods as the national research report conducted by the South African Universities Physical Education Association (SAUPEA) were employed. This research project included public primary (Senior Phase) and secondary (Further Education and Training) schools and schools for learners with special needs from all nine provinces of South Africa. The main focus of this study, however, was on the Intermediate Phase (Grade 4-6). Thus, this study aimed to investigate the current state and status of physical education in the intermediate schooling phase (Grade 4-6), in selected public schools from the Alberton region of Gauteng, South Africa. The research focused on a purposive randomised selection of Quintile 1 to 5 public primary schools (n = 8). A mixed method descriptive design of data gathering was used, namely questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, observation protocols and curriculum analysis. This study followed the methodology that was developed during the South African Universities Physical Education Association (SAUPEA) research project. A pilot study was conducted, however, to determine logistical and technical procedures for data collection. Reliability was tested through the Guttman Lambda 2 co-efficient.