Perceived Factors Influencing Low Enrolment in Physical Education for Senior School Certificate Examination in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the perceived factors influencing low enrolment in Physical Education (PE) for senior secondary certificate examination in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria. The variables examined in this study are PE teacher’s personality, parental influence, and career opportunities. The type of research design used was descriptive survey research design. The population used for this study consisted of all students in the public senior secondary schools in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria. Purposive sampling techniques were used to select twenty (20) secondary schools while stratifying sampling techniques were used to group respondents into SS I, SS II and SS III. Simple random techniques were used to select four hundred respondents (400) senior secondary students drawn from twenty (20) selected schools in Ilorin Metropolis. As a means of data collection, a questionnaire was administered and retrieved from participants. The inferential chi-square statistical instrument was used for data analysis to test the hypotheses. The result of the findings revealed that a PE teacher’s personality, parental influence, and misconception about career opportunities influenced low enrolment in PE for SSCE in Ilorin Metropolis. Based on the findings, the study recommendations include career guidance and counselling of PE students, improved employment conditions for PE teachers, among others.