AUTHOR=Ma’mun Amung , Tinaz Cem , Anira Anira , Syarifatunnisa Syarifatunnisa , Hertem Ömer Onur , Mahendra Agus , Juliantine Tite 

TITLE=Physical education and school sport in emerging nations: a comparison of Indonesia and Türkiye

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

VOLUME=Volume 7 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1582778

DOI=10.3389/fspor.2025.1582778

ISSN=2624-9367

ABSTRACT=IntroductionThis study examines physical education (PE) and school sport policies in Türkiye and Indonesia, focusing on their design, implementation, and institutional context. Both countries are emerging nations facing significant challenges in aligning curriculum objectives with available resources, infrastructure, and cultural attitudes toward PE.MethodsA qualitative research design was employed, involving semi-structured online interviews with thirty physical education teachers—fifteen from Türkiye and fifteen from Indonesia—working across different levels of public and private education. The interviews explored six key areas: curriculum objectives and applicability, school profiles, in-class sport activities, available resources, stakeholder attitudes, and extracurricular/club linkages.ResultsFindings revealed common challenges in both countries, including limited infrastructure, insufficient numbers of qualified PE teachers in public schools, and a lack of systemic collaboration between schools and sports clubs. While Indonesian teachers viewed the curriculum as more adaptable, both countries struggle with resource limitations and implementation gaps.DiscussionThe results highlight the need for government investment in school sports infrastructure, particularly gyms and multipurpose spaces, and for increased support for extracurricular and after-school sport programs. Formalizing partnerships between schools and local sports clubs is also essential to strengthening PE provision and long-term sports participation in both national contexts.