Physical Education and Sports Management Practices in Nomadic Schools in North West Nigeria

Physical education provision for nomadic school populations presents unique pedagogical and management challenges, given the mobility, cultural context, and resource constraints of nomadic educational settings. This study examines physical education and sports management practices in nomadic schools in Sokoto and Zamfara States, North West Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was employed, with 85 teachers and administrators from 20 nomadic schools completing structured questionnaires. Classroom observations and community focus group discussions supplemented quantitative data. Physical education programme components assessed include curriculum coverage, instructional approaches, sports equipment availability, teacher qualification, and assessment practices. Findings reveal that formal physical education curriculum delivery is largely absent in nomadic schools, with physical activity limited to unstructured play during break periods. No schools possess designated sports equipment, and teacher qualifications specific to physical and health education are absent across all sampled sites. Cultural physical activities indigenous to Fulani nomadic communities, including traditional horsemanship and wrestling, are not integrated into any physical education frameworks despite their cultural relevance and physical development value. Recommendations include developing a culturally adapted physical education curriculum for nomadic schools, training nomadic school teachers in basic physical education facilitation, incorporating indigenous physical activities as curriculum content, and providing portable sports equipment kits suited to mobile school settings. Keywords: physical education, nomadic schools, sports management, North West Nigeria, cultural adaptation