TEAKWONDO TEACHING IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS: PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES IN AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

The paper presents the challenges and the future success of teaching taekwondo in our secondary school system. Three research questions guided the study. The study employed survey research design. The population of the study comprised all 33 physical and health educators in the 18 public secondary schools in Awka South L.G.A. of Anambra State. No sampling was done owing to the manageable size of the population. The instrument for data collection was a 15-item questionnaire which was validated by three experts in the Faculty of Education in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. The reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach alpha method which yielded the mean reliability coefficient value of 0.76. This was considered high enough to confirm the instrument as reliable.  Mean was used to analyse the data collected. The findings of the study revealed that unavailability of taekwondo teachers in secondary schools and non-provision of taekwondo training in the curriculum are the major challenges facing the teaching of taekwondo in secondary schools. The study also revealed that helping the students to gain coordination and also instilling discipline in the students are the major prospects of teaching taekwondo in secondary schools. The study further revealed that entrenching of taekwondo training in the curriculum and employment of taekwondo teachers across secondary schools are the major possible ways forward for the teaching of taekwondo in secondary schools. The implications of the study were highlighted and it was recommended among other things that Federal government should provide secondary schools with adequate facilities and equipment necessary for active participation in taekwondo training