THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORTS IN GHANA

Despite the long history of formal education in Ghana, the actual organization of programs involving physical activities as a co-herent discipline with clearly defined goals has been neglected. This is primarily due to lack of literature on physical education and sports in Ghana.;The study involved a broad discussion of the general history of Ghana; the story of the eighteenth century castle schools; the growth, governance and organization of general education; a history of the types of activities Ghanaians engaged in and how these activities affected their daily lives.;Also discussed was the story of British Colonization and how this patterned the course of physical education and sports in Ghana. Specifically mentioned were the introduction of the Inter-Colonial sports competitions between Ghana and Nigeria, the games of soccer and cricket as well as the laws instituted for the establishment of playgrounds in schools and colleges including the founding of the Specialist Training College, its programs and work of its graduates.;The effects of Ghana's political instability on the growth and development of physical education and sports at domestic and international levels form the concluding chapters of the study.;The purpose of this study was to draw up a comprehensive chronological record of the growth and development of physical education and sports in Ghana from 1471 when Portuguese merchants penetrated the Gold Coast (Ghana) until the latter part of the twentieth century, thus offering the country a more basic reference for the future development of the subject.;The study specifically identifies the following: (1) There is serious lack of literature on physical education and sports in Ghana, and this study exposes specific areas and sources from where development of further research can be enhanced. (2) The setting, status, courses and programs of the Specialist Teacher Training College are outmoded and do not meet the needs of modern day Ghana. (3) Governmental involvement in physical education and sports serve positive political goals but very detrimental to the development of longterm goals for physical education and sports in Ghana.