EFFECTS OF SCHOOL-BASED PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS ON NATIONAL FITNESS LEVELS AND HEALTH OUTCOMES IN BAYELSA STATE

Abstract

This study assessed the effects of school-based physical education programs on national fitness levels and health outcomes: the case in Bayelsa State. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. Three research questions were raised to guide the study. The population of the study was all students in the 217 secondary schools in Bayelsa State. A sample of 309 respondents drawn from 9 secondary schools was used for the study. The instrument for data collection was a “School-Based Physical Education Programs for National Fitness Questionnaire (SBPEPNFQ), developed by the researcher and validated by experts. The reliability coefficient of the instrument was established using the Cronbach Alpha formula and a value of 0.79 was obtained which was considered appropriate for the study. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation. It was revealed that the fitness levels of students in Bayelsa State before the implementation of school-based physical education programs were low. It was recommended that lecturers should be trained to adequately implement school-based physical education programs.