S09-3: Global Observatory for Physical Education (GoPE!): Launching the First Set of Country Cards

Abstract

Purpose: To present the global landscape of physical education (PE) and school-based physical activity (PA) from the First set of Global Observatory for Physical Education (GoPE!) Country Cards. Methods: Data were collected for 218 countries on country demographics, PA participation, PE policy, PE surveillance, and PE and school-based PA interventions research. The most recent available data from the World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank, UNESCO, governmental websites, monitoring systems, Google, and scientific databases informed the indicators. Moreover, a systematic umbrella review was conducted. The data for the indicators were collected following a standardised research protocol created by the GoPE! Research Group and validated by the Country Contacts from the GoPE! worldwide network of experts. Results: Preliminary results indicate that the GoPE! Country Contacts network consists of 215 members, representing 164 (75.2%) out of 218 countries. The coverage per WHO region is as follows: SEARO (90.9%), EURO (85.5%), WPRO (78.1%), AFRO (74.5%), EMRO (72.7%), and PAHO (56.8%). Currently, GoPE! country representatives confirmed and approved data for 124 countries (56.9%) out of 218 countries. Within these 124 countries, 86.3% had a national official PE curriculum for all compulsory school years of primary education and 80.65% for all compulsory school years of secondary education. In 83.9% and 72.6% of those 124 countries, there was a national policy requiring mandatory PE for all compulsory school years of primary education and secondary education, respectively. A national policy requiring minimum and mandatory PE time existed in 53.2% and 50.8% of those countries for all compulsory school years of primary education and secondary education, respectively. Moreover, a total of 6.5% of the countries presented PE policies ruled at the subnational level. Finally, 34.7% of the 124 countries had national surveillance systems aimed at evaluating PE policies’ implementation, and 38.7% of the countries had research articles on PE and school-based PA intervention. Conclusions: The GoPE! Country Cards will provide stakeholders with a powerful tool to assess and enhance the policies, surveillance systems, and research related to PE and school-based PA participation in their countries.

Support/Funding Source: Global Observatory for Physical Activity (GoPA!).