Online Surveys of Stakeholders’ Willingness to Implement a Structured Daily Physical Activity Programme in Trinidad and Tobago’s Secondary Schools

Valerie Stoute¹ and Nicole Camille Parris^2,

¹V.A.S. Consulting, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

²Science Department, Ministry of Education, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

Cite this paper:
Valerie Stoute and Nicole Camille Parris. Online Surveys of Stakeholders’ Willingness to Implement a Structured Daily Physical Activity Programme in Trinidad and Tobago’s Secondary Schools. Journal of Physical Activity Research. 2020; 5(2):56-71. doi: 10.12691/jpar-5-2-1

Abstract

Studies have shown that being overweight kills, primarily by promoting heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and many cancers. Physical inactivity and diet have long been recognized as the two principal causes of obesity in most people. The earlier the tendency to inactivity is reversed the better may be the sustainability of healthy lifestyle choices. Trinidad and Tobago has very high rates of both Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) and Diabetes and must try to minimize their prevalence. This article explores the feasibility of introducing into the secondary school curriculum a mandatory, no-credit programme of daily structured physical activity at all levels. Three proprietary structured surveys were administered online, one specific to each of Principals, Teachers, and Students in secondary schools throughout Trinidad and Tobago. These instruments probed the respondents’ awareness of and concern for the problem of overweight and related illnesses in young children and even in the adult population of Trinidad and Tobago; the perceived importance of physical activity; the willingness on the part of both the students and the teachers to participate in such a programme; and the optimum possible structure for the programme, in terms of its duration, its period placement on the timetable, and the frequency of its delivery. There was strong consensus among Teachers for the introduction of the programme into the curriculum and for the hiring of more P.E. teachers and the supply of more equipment to support it. Students showed an impressive awareness of the benefits from physical activity, scoring strongly the features of improved health and fitness, reduced obesity, better discipline, greater motivation, more self-confidence, and better socialization skills, among other positives.

Keywords:
mandatory no-credit programme of physical activity secondary school curriculum structured survey

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References:

[1]	Kohl, H. W., & Cook, H. D. Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School. Washington DC: National Academies Press (US), 2013, 100-195.
[2]	World Health Organization. The Ministry of Health targets its youth in the fight against CNCDs. Retrieved from Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago: Ministry of Health: 2011, http://www.health.gov.tt/news/newsitem.aspx?id=247.
[3]	Diehl, H., & Ludington, A. Health Power Healthy by Choice, Not by Chance. United States of America: REVIEW AND HERALD PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION HAGERSTOWN, MD 21740, 2011.
[4]	Ministry of Health. National Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non Communicable Diseases: Trinidad and Tobago. 2017, Retrieved from www.health.gov.tt/downloads/DownloadItem.
[5]	Sallis, J., Mc Kenzie, T., Beets, M., Beighle, A., Erwin, H., & Lee, S. Physical education's role in public health. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sports, 2012, 125-135.
[6]	Tannnehill, D., Romar, J.-E., O'Sullivan, M., England, K., & Rosenberg, D. Attitude Towards Physical Education: Their Impact on How Physical Education Teachers Make Sense of Their Work. JOURNAL OF TEACHING IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION, 1994, 406-420.
[7]	Government Policy: Sport Participation. Retrieved 2010. Available: https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/getting-more-people-playing-sport: https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/getting-more-people-playing-sport.
[8]	Department of Health and Human Service. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2008.
[9]	Sallis, J., McKenzie, T., Conway, T., ElderJP, Prochaska, J., Brown, M., . . . Alcaraz, J. Environmental interventions for eating and physical activity: A randomized controlled trial in the middle schools. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2003, 209- 217.
[10]	Robinson, L., & Goodway, J. Instructional climates in preschool children who are at risk. Part 1:Object-control skill development. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 2009, 533-542.
[11]	Robinson, LE. Effect of a mastery climate motor program on object control skills and perceived physical competence in pre-schoolers. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 2011, 355-359
[12]	Talbot, M. The case for physical education. World Summit on Physical Education. Berlin, Germany:ICSSPE, 2001, 39-50.
[13]	Lumpkin, A. PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT: A CONTEMPORARY INTRODUCTION 4th ed. United States: McGraw-Hill, 1998.
[14]	Council of Europe. Recommendation No. R. (92)13 REV. Committee of Ministers of Members States on the Revised European Sports Charter, 2001.
[15]	Bailey, R. Physical Education and Sport in Schools: A Review of Benefits and Outcomes. Journal of School Health 2006.
[16]	United Nation Policy; The definition of sport for the purpose of Sport for Development and Peace International Working Group. Office on Sport for Development and Peace, 2003.
[17]	GOV.UK. Policies 2015. Available: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015- government-policy-sports-participation/2010-to-2015- government-policy-sports-participation. Retrieved from 2010 to 2015 government policy: sports participation.
[18]	College Guides. A Student's Guide To Playing Sports In College. 2012, Available from www.bestcollegereviews.org/students- guide-to-playing-sport in-college.
[19]	Sport Archives. Sport National Sporting Archivers of Trinidad and Tobago. Retrieved from , 2015.
[20]	Stoute, V and Parris, N.C., “A Focus Group Approach: Exploring the Feasibility of a Mandatory, No-Credit Programme of Daily Structured Physical Activity in Secondary Schools in Trinidad and Tobago,” American Journal of Educational Research, Vol 7, No 8, 570-582, 2019.