Qualities of a PE teacher
THE education ministry has set the minimum criteria that a physical education teacher should have, before he takes on teaching PE in schools.
By Norman Katende
THE education ministry has set the minimum criteria that a physical education teacher should have, before he takes on teaching PE in schools.
This criteria was agreed upon after the Germany sports instructor, Gunter Lange joined hands with the physical education and sports department of the education ministry and brought together different teachers and professors from recognised universities in the country aimed at agreeing on what the PE teacher should be and have.
The move follows the making of physical education a core and compulsory subject at secondary school level. There have been numerous complaints that the teachers in charge of this subject are theoretical and not practical, yet sports is a practical lesson.
PE has been optional in secondary schools since 2008. However, starting this year, it was made a compulsory subject, forcing the ministry to critically look at the caliber of teachers in charge of this subject.
“We found out that we are churning out PE teachers who are academically good, but they do not have any practical background and this has led to poor production of sportsmen. We want a practical teacher who can be able to challenge his students,†says Dan Tamwesigire, the commissioner for sports.
The workshop attracted members from the national curriculum office and also brought together different university professors, national teachers’ training college tutors and primary teachers’ colleges and also primary and post-primary teachers with an interest in sports in a week-long seminar at Shimoni Core Primary Teachers College that ended May 16.
From the seminar, it was revealed that a PE teacher should be active, informed, motivating. Members agreed to harmonise the PE curriculum in all tertiary institutions with the minimum requirement before a sports teacher can be certified.
Some of the members who attended include former Makerere University head of sports department Era Mugisha, Kyambogo University’s Michael Byaruhanga Kadoodoba, Netball and handball specialist Margaret Bisereko, and former FIFA referee Ali Waiswa among others.
“We are aiming at sports made in Uganda. By training teachers to properly handle children at a much younger age. We want to build a sporting nation that is competitive and healthy,†said Lange, who facilitated the discussions.
THE education ministry has set the minimum criteria that a physical education teacher should have, before he takes on teaching PE in schools.
This criteria was agreed upon after the Germany sports instructor, Gunter Lange joined hands with the physical education and sports department of the education ministry and brought together different teachers and professors from recognised universities in the country aimed at agreeing on what the PE teacher should be and have.
The move follows the making of physical education a core and compulsory subject at secondary school level. There have been numerous complaints that the teachers in charge of this subject are theoretical and not practical, yet sports is a practical lesson.
PE has been optional in secondary schools since 2008. However, starting this year, it was made a compulsory subject, forcing the ministry to critically look at the caliber of teachers in charge of this subject.
“We found out that we are churning out PE teachers who are academically good, but they do not have any practical background and this has led to poor production of sportsmen. We want a practical teacher who can be able to challenge his students,†says Dan Tamwesigire, the commissioner for sports.
The workshop attracted members from the national curriculum office and also brought together different university professors, national teachers’ training college tutors and primary teachers’ colleges and also primary and post-primary teachers with an interest in sports in a week-long seminar at Shimoni Core Primary Teachers College that ended May 16.
From the seminar, it was revealed that a PE teacher should be active, informed, motivating. Members agreed to harmonise the PE curriculum in all tertiary institutions with the minimum requirement before a sports teacher can be certified.
Some of the members who attended include former Makerere University head of sports department Era Mugisha, Kyambogo University’s Michael Byaruhanga Kadoodoba, Netball and handball specialist Margaret Bisereko, and former FIFA referee Ali Waiswa among others.
“We are aiming at sports made in Uganda. By training teachers to properly handle children at a much younger age. We want to build a sporting nation that is competitive and healthy,†said Lange, who facilitated the discussions.