Physical Training and Sports in British Malaya and Its Impact on Malay Elementary Boys^ and Girls^ Schools, 1923-41
Lim Peng Han

Independent Researcher and editorial board member of the Asian Journal of Sport History and Culture

Abstract

Introduction
The Department of Education was established in 1872 to improve Malay education. Malay schooling is a four-year course, teaching children to read and write Malay fluently. The first Director of PE, J.F. Jefferson, was appointed in 1923. This research studies the comparative impact of Malay boys- and girls^ schools after the introduction of Physical Training and sports in the schools.
Method
This study refers to official documents like the Department of Education annual reports (1885-1939), Reports of commission of enquiries into education, Proceedings of the Department of Education conferences, books on PT and syllabus on teacher training. English language newspapers were also used to verify that the various education policies were put in practice.
Results and conclusion
In 1931 49 per cent of Malay boys age 5 to 14 in the Straits Settlements and Malay States went to Malay boys^ schools. While only 7 per cent of Malay girls of the same age went to Malay girls^ schools. Compulsory PE lessons were held in Malay schools, including in teacher training institutes of Malay boys^ and girls^ schools. Since the mid-1920s annual athletic meetings, sepak raga and football tournaments were organized in Malay boys^ schools. The indigenous game of kicking the rattan ball, sepak raga, an event in the athletic meetings. Jefferson published two volumes Kitab Latehan Tuboh (1926, 1930), a Malay language book about Physical Training and drills for the Malay schools and trainee teachers.
The first Malay Women^s Training College was established in 1934. The first athletic meeting organised by the College^s graduates in the Malay girls^ school occurred in 1938. The Eurasian and Chinese girls in English schools started their athletic meetings during the 1920s. The findings suggest there were significant disparity in schooling and Physical Training between Malay boys^ and girls^ schools.

Keywords: Gender and sports, Physical Training, Malay Boys^ Schools, Malay Girls^ Schools, teacher education

Topic: Gender and sports in Asian societies