Physical education is a course taught in school that focuses on developing physical fitness.
About Programme:
There is a high demand for postgraduates in Health, Physical Education and Sports.
Nationwide, postgraduate personnel are needed as coordinators of Physical Education programmes; curriculum and instruction experts in Physical Education and Sports; managers and administrators of sports.
With the upgrading of teacher training colleges to diploma-awarding status, the requirement is that all tutors should have a postgraduate degree.
At the moment very few PE teachers in the training colleges possess postgraduate degrees.
The M.Ed. programme being run by the Institute of Education to upgrade teacher training college tutors does not provide for Physical Education.
An increase in the demand for postgraduates in Physical Education, Sports and fitness in non-school environments has been observed.
This is due to the emergence of a growing market for corporate fitness facilities.
This is due to the increased incidence of hypokinetic health conditions that require physical activity to prevent or manage.
Most of the existing personnel in this field are holders of first degrees and who need additional expertise in the management of their market driven programmes.
Additionally, there is a growing national demand for sports administrators, recreation specialists, sports psychologists, and exercise scientists. So far, there are no postgraduate programmes in Ghana in these areas.
Nationwide, postgraduate personnel are needed to coordinate School Health Programmes, and to act as curriculum and instruction experts in Health Education.
With the upgrading of teacher training colleges to diploma-awarding status, the requirement is that all tutors should have a postgraduate degree.
Additionally, the introduction of HIV/AIDS as a required course in teacher training colleges requires that personnel be produced to teach the course. Meanwhile, an M.Ed. programme being run by the Institute of Education to upgrade teacher training college tutors does not provide for Health Education.
Although the department is currently running diversified MPhil programmes that meet the qualitative manpower needs of the nation, the academic nature and residential requirement of the programme does not meet the needs of most practicing professionals within the Ghana Education Service.
For instance, district and regional coordinators of the physical education programme are unable to leave their posts on study leave even if the study leave could be obtained.
Indeed, the majority of students enrolling in the MPhil programmes do not obtain study leave and a number of them have had to shuttle between programme and work.
In the light of the foregoing, the department proposed a professional M.Ed. sandwich programme to supplement the regular MPhil programmes.
This will help to reduce the problems listed above and also enable the department to respond more quickly to the rising demand for postgraduates in physical education and sports.
Target Groups
The following categories of personnel, or those aspiring for such positions, will find this programme useful.
Physical Education coordinators
School health programme coordinators
Physical Education tutors in teacher training colleges
Teachers of the HIV/AIDS course in teacher training colleges
Physical Education teachers
Entry Requirements:
Candidates who apply for the M.Ed. programme should meet requirement 1 in addition to 2 or 3
Must be a professionally trained teacher
Must have a good first degree in a health or physical education and a minimum of 2 years’ experience in teaching.
Must have a good first degree but not in health or physical education and minimum of 3 years’ experience in a physical education related job.
Goal / Objectives:
The goals of the M.Ed. programme are to:
Produce qualified, competent and confident health, physical education and sports management personnel for educational institutions.
Provide opportunity for specialization in aspects of health and physical education, such as teaching and administration.
Provide customer friendly postgraduate programmes that are convenient for practicing professionals.
Provide quality postgraduate programmes with a high turnout rate.
Generate income to expand and improve upon services provided by the department.
Career Opportunities:
The goals of the M.Ed. (Physical Education) programme are to:
Produce qualified, competent and confident health, physical education and sports management personnel for educational institutions.
Provide opportunity for specialization in aspects of health and physical education, such as teaching and administration.
Provide customer friendly postgraduate programmes that are convenient for practicing professionals.
Provide quality postgraduate programmes with a high turnout rate.
Generate income to expand and improve upon services provided by the department.