THE CURRENT STATE OF THE CONTENT, FORM, AND ORGANIZATION OF EXTRACURRICULAR PHYSICAL EDUCATION ACTIVITIES AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN BINH THANH DISTRICT, HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM

Dinh Sang Giau, Kieu Thi Thu Thuy, Huynh Trong Khai

Abstract


Extracurricular physical education and sports activities are a vital component of school sports, contributing to increased opportunities for movement, physical fitness development, and the cultivation of physical activity habits among students. This article aims to assess the current state of the content, formats, and organization of extracurricular physical education and sports activities in primary schools in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The study employs a cross-sectional design using a mixed-methods approach. The survey was conducted across 24 primary schools, involving 2,600 students (grades 1–5) and 110 administrators, physical education teachers, and coaches. Data were collected via questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and direct observation, then analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and Chi-square tests (significance level p < 0.05). The results indicate that extracurricular sports activities were implemented in 24 out of the 30 schools (80.0%), covering 14 different sports. The most popular activities were basketball (75.0%), football (66.7%), swimming (62.5%), Vovinam (54.2%), Taekwondo, and aerobics (50.0%). Among the 2,600 surveyed students, 48.2% participated regularly. The most common form of participation was through sports clubs (61.8% for males; 56.9% for females); approximately 78% of participating students received direct instruction from teachers or coaches. Students trained an average of 3.32 ± 1.08 sessions per week (males) and 3.35 ± 1.04 sessions per week (females), with session durations primarily ranging from 61 to 90 minutes; there were no statistically significant differences between the genders regarding the number of sessions or training duration (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Extracurricular sports and physical activities in primary schools across Binh Thanh District have been implemented on a relatively broad and diverse scale, with club-based models and activities led by teachers or coaches playing a central role. However, the rate of regular student participation remains below 50%, and the organizational formats lack diversity. Therefore, it is necessary to enhance accessibility, diversify organizational methods, and improve training facilities to encourage more frequent student participation.

Keywords


extracurricular sports; physical education; primary school; student participation; physical fitness; quality of education; Vietnam

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejpe.v13i6.6946

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