Breaking Barriers: Enhancing Sports Participation for Learners with Physical Disabilities in Vhembe District’s Special Schools
Phumudzo K. Mulibana 
, Avhasei D. Meregi & Matodzi G. Sikhwari
Issue: Vol.6 No.10 Article 13 pp.2412 – 2423
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561013 | Published online 26th September, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Amongst recorded benefits, sports and recreation activities increase physical movement and mobility. They also improve fitness and flexibility, which promotes a greater range of motion and causes of movement for people with physical disabilities. This study aimed to identify the challenges faced by learners with physical disabilities while participating in sports and recreation activities at selected special schools in the Vhembe District of South Africa. A qualitative approach using a descriptive survey was employed to provide an accurate portrayal of the opinions, beliefs, and knowledge of learners who participate in sports and recreation. A focus group discussion was conducted with 44 learners (22 boys and 22 girls) with physical disabilities at selected special schools in Vhembe District, and one face-to-face interview was carried out with the sports master from the selected special school in the Vhembe District. Data analysis was conducted thematically to identify patterns in challenges faced by learners with physical disabilities when engaging in sports activities at special schools in the Vhembe District. Results indicated that learners participating in various sporting activities gain numerous benefits, but they are also exposed to social, physiological, and physical challenges. Learners view these challenges as barriers to furthering their interest in sports and recreation activities. There is a need to design and implement an awareness programme for all learners with different types of disabilities to enable them to interact with others without discrimination.
Keywords: Sports Participation, Physical disabilities, Special schools, Barriers and Challenges
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Dr. Phumudzo Mulibana is a Lecturer at the University of Venda’s Department of Biokinetics, Recreation, and Sport Science in South Africa. He holds a PhD in Sport, Recreation, and Exercise Science from the University of Western Cape, a Master’s in Sport Management from the University of Johannesburg, and a Bachelor’s in Recreation and Leisure Studies from the University of Venda. With over ten years of experience in higher education, his expertise lies in recreation programming and sports management, particularly within indigenous communities. His research focuses on the transformative potential of Indigenous games and their role in Sport for Development. Dr. Mulibana has supervised several master’s students, contributed to numerous peer-reviewed journals and serves on various committees within the University of Venda’s Faculty of Health Sciences.
Mrs Avhasei Dorothy Meregi is a Lecturer in the Department of Biokinetics, Recreation and Sport Science. She has worked for over ten years in the higher education sector. She specializes in physical education, adolescent health, Sport and exercise Science, and her research focus area is sports development, physical education, and adolescent health. Performance. S/he has supervised Honours students in Sport and Exercise science. Mrs Meregi is the current Sport and Exercise Science programme coordinator in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Venda.
Dr. Matodzi G. Sikhwari is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Early Childhood Education at the University of Venda in Thohoyandou, South Africa. He is a qualified Foundation Phase teacher and holds an M.A., M.Ed., and PhD from Stellenbosch University. His research interests include Educational Linguistics, Gender and Sexuality, and Home Language Teaching. Dr. Sikhwari specializes in Linguistics and Education Policy Studies.
Mulibana, Phumudzo K., Avhasei D. Meregi and Matodzi G. Sikhwari.“ Breaking Barriers: Enhancing Sports Participation for Learners with Physical Disabilities in Vhembe District’s Special Schools,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no. 10 (2025): 2412 – 2423, https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561013
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
