EL HINSHIRI, ALI KHALIFA. The History of Physical Education and Sport in the Libyan Arab Republic. (1976) Directed by: Dr. Tony Ladd. Pp. 84. The purpose of this study was an historical analysis of the development of physical education and sport in the Libyan Arab Republic from the earliest recorded references to the present day. The historical method of research was used to collect and describe data. In the early history of Libya there was ample evidence that physical activities, of a rudimentary nature, were an essential aspect of life. The first organized sport, how- ever, did not appear until after 1920 with the formation of the Italian sport federation. Sport competitions and clubs gradually increased in number and type particularly after the proclamation of independence in 1952 when the Central Sports League was established. The sport movement gained momentum in the 1960s with the formation of the Libyan Olympic Committee which provided leadership, organization and financial aid. Between 1960 and 1975 there was a dispersion of sports activities to all parts of the country as mass participation became a reality. The most popular mass sports were soccer, volleyball, basket- ball and track and field. The importance of physical education as an essential part of the education of youth was realized after indepen- dence was achieved in 1952. Professional preparation of physical education teachers became a reality by 1960 when the \ I department of physical education within the Ministry of Edu- cation was established and an institute of physical education was opened in Tripoli. Physical education had then become an acceptable part of the curriculum. The traditional negative attitude of the people toward sport and physical education has decreased in recent years in Libya. This change has prompted extensive support of sport from both the people and the government to develop expanding programs in sport and physical education. THE HISTORY OP PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT IN THE LIBYAN ARAB REPUBLIC by Ali Khalifa El-Hinshiri A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Physical Education Greensboro 1976 Approved by -=^he"•hee'is Adviser APPROVAL PAGE This thesis has been approved by the following com- mittee of the Faculty of the Graduate School at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Thes is Adviser r -^/o-K-r-f^ (AA^^L. Committee Members ~£.j ?>.'- /^-*.*o.a&. ') ) Date of Acceptance by Committee ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The researcher is indebted to Dr. Gail Hennis for her kind help during graduate study. Her advice, guidance and encouragement were valuable. Also, the devoted attention and thoughtful and invaluable cooperation of Dr. Tony Ladd is evident through this study and made possible the comple- tion of this thesis. A word of appreciation is also extended to Dr. Pearl Berlin and Dr. Gail Hennis for reviewing the thesis and serving as committee members. Also to everyone who, in one way or another, helped the completion of this study, the author is grateful. The researcher dedicates this work to his family, hoping that he can be as good to them as they have been to him. iii ^ TABLE OF CONTENTS Page APPROVAL PAGE ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iii LIST OF TABLES vi LIST OF FIGURES vii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION Statement of the Problem . 2 Scope and Delimitation .. 3 Significance of the Study. ........ 3 Definitions 4 Limitations 4 Collection of Materials 5 II. REVIEW OF HISTORICAL, GEOGRAPHICAL, RELIGIOUS, POLITICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL ASPECTS Historical Background of Libya 7 Geography and Climate 11 Religion 12 Sociology and Culture 14 III. EDUCATION IN LIBYA 21 The Education Policy in Libya 25 The Education System in Libya 25 Religious Education 30 Private Education 30 Teacher Education in Libya 32 IV. PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT BEFORE INDE- PENDENCE General Outlook 34 Libya in Ancient Times 34 The Phoenicians 35 The Greeks • 36 The Romans 37 Libya, Islam and Arabism 38 Other Occupiers 39 The Italian Occupation 40 British Administration 42 xv 503622 CHAPTER Page V. PHYSICAL EDUCATION AFTER INDEPENDENCE .... 44 Organization and Administration of Physical Education 45 Physical Education in the General Educa- tional System 46 Professional Preparation 52 VI. SPORT IN LIBYA AFTER INDEPENDENCE 57 Organization and Administration . 57 Activities of Sports Federations. ..... 62 VII. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 78 Summary 78 Conclusion 80 BIBLIOGRAPHY 82 LIST OP TABLES Page Table 1. Elementary Education during the Italian Occupation (1912-1943) 22 2. Elementary and Secondary Education during the British Occupation (1944-1951) 23 3. Number of Students and Teachers in Preparatory Schools (1968-1973) 26 4. Number of Students in Vocational Education (1968-1972) 28 5. Composition of the Libyan Olympic Committee in 1976 61 6. Number of Coaches, Referees and Athletes in 1975 63 VI LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1. The Ten Governmental Regions 15 2. The Educational System of the Libyan Arab Republic 31 3. A Schematic Representation of the Organization of the Department of School Activities in 1975 47 VI1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Sport and games are fundamental aspects of social life in most human societies. Indeed, J. Huizinga has suggested that "the spirit of playful competition is, as a social impulse, older than culture itself and pervades all life 1 like a veritable ferment." In most societies, games, fes- tivals, dances and sporting competitions have provided enjoyment, have served as outlets for energy, have strength- ened group solidarity and have transmitted national tradi- tions. These activities also have provided a perspective of how people live, work, think and play, for there are inter- relationships among all the various components of culture such as politics, economics, geography, religion and sports. The exact cultural role of sport in a society is perhaps little understood, but the fact remains that in its broad context sport has been part of all cultures from neolithic 2 times to the present. A.Lunn says that J. Huizinga, Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play Element in Culture (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd., 1949), P. 173. 2D. Van Dalen and B. Bennett, A World History of Physical Education (Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice- Hall, Inc.. 1971), pp. 6-7. sport in some form or another is the main object of most lives, that most men work in order to play, and that games which bulk so largely in the life of the individual cannot be neglected in studying the life of a nature.-3 Although a wide range of physical activities and games have been a part of the lives and pastimes of the Libyan people for many hundreds of years, the general public has never accepted physical education and sport as important as subjects such as mathematics and reading. A general belief has been perpetuated that students taking part in games and sports would never make good scholars. Nevertheless, one can readily see the emerging importance of sport and phys- ical activity in modern Libya. Realizing that little information is available in Libya on how sports and physical education have developed and that the need for identifying a perspective for physical education and sport in Libya exists, the writer has investigated the development of these areas within the context of Libyan culture. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The purpose of this study is to investigate the his- torical development of physical education and sport through the different cultural, political, economic, religious and social stages in Libya. 3A. Lunn, A History of Skiing (London: Oxford University Press, 1972), p. 31. > SCOPE AND DELIMITATION In this study the researcher will include information from the time of the Libyan invasion of Egypt through the forming of the Libyan Arab Republic. He will address polit- ical, geographic, religious, sociological and educational aspects. The emphasis will be on physical education and sport and how they have been influenced by the cultural, religious, and traditional aspects. The study will include an historical analysis of phys- ical education and sport in the nation of Libya for both males and females, with no age limitations, educational and commun- ity programs, and facilities. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY While many books, articles and theses have been written about Libya, no one has ever written specifically about the history of physical education and sport in that country. A need for information is evident. The researcher has worked for five years with the Min- istry of Education as a supervisor, the Olympic Committee and different sport clubs in Libya. With a background which included representing Libya in many conferences and meet- ings, the most important of which was the "Conference on Physical Education and Sport in Africa" in Rabat, Morocco, in 1971, he felt an obligation to interpret the history of physical education and sport in the Libyan Arab Republic for the information of his own country and for the rest of the world. It is hoped that this detailed work will be a source of useful information to everybody interested in the field and to provide school administrators and students the opportunity to learn about physical education and sport in the Libyan Arab Republic. DEFINITIONS The following terms served as definitions for the thesis and may not necessarily apply outside the context of this study. Physical Education: Physical education is composed of those activities or systems that are part of the formal school program. Sport: Sport is any competitive physical activity engaged in for pleasure, amusement and exercise. Game: Game is any physical activity, governed by tem- porary or permanent rules, which takes place in situations of fixed boundaries of time and/or space, and exhibits char- acteristics of competition by which winners or losers may be determined.