A historical perspective of the organization and functioning of the physical education system in Albania
Communist period 1940-1990
The ideological-political education of the generations
During the communist era, for the young generation physical education, preparing for work and for defense was a matter of great political and ideological importance. We can quote a paragraph where such ideological and political views are stated quite clearly; … nowadays the issue of physical education of the working class and in particular the youth presents a great challenge. The aggressive intentions of the American imperialists who are aided by the modern revisionists, their continuous conspiracies against our country call for every town, every boy or girl to strengthen their body to bravely protect the fatherland and the revolutionary cause against every enemy…….. (4). The ASAU (Albanian Sportsmen and Athletes Union) and all sports as well as all other areas in life were linked closely to politics. In the beginning there was the influence from eastern countries and after the parting from eastern influence it was succeeded from the Chinese influence where one of the measures taken was the abolishment of boxing as a sport (1). Improving the ideological and political work of all sportsmen presented a significant task for all AWYU (Albanian Working Youth Unions) associations as well as all physical education departments. The main goal during this period was having young educated and capable sportsmen, able to protect the fatherland (4). During 1969 the existing elementary school programs apart from all visible improvements went through major changes by combining physical education with military exercises (5). Analyzing this period it could be said that the political influence (from the communist party) had a major influence in the primary targets of physical education; ….. the party and the people’s power from the beginning gave a fair assessment to physical education as a structural part of the communist education of workers as well as giving the country what it deserves without holding anything back ………(6). The same logic was used for having a good health and readiness at work as well as for defense; ……the party has instructed and ordered for all our physical education system and the entire physical-sporting activity to be firmly structured within the party’s ideology and to be developed focusing on the masses (7).
During this period it could be said that besides physical education in schools have existed several types of organizations of children’s physical education and sporting activities such as: schools organization of sporting classes system (these will be explained in details further on), sporting activities for children in towns (within an apartment building/Pioneer’s home), organized sporting summer activities as well as sports tournaments (massive and qualitative sports activities which have taken place only after liberation of the country and included several types of sports)
References.
(1) Miço, K (2012) Sporti shqiptar në 100 vjet. Komiteti i KP, BFSSH. Gazeta Shekulli 03.12.2012 Tiranë (2) Dizdari, B (2012) Themelimet e mëdha të sportit shqiptar në 100 vjet Gazeta Panorama Sport 28.10.2012 Tiranë
http://www.panorama-sport.com/opinion/themelimet-e-medha-te-sportit-shqiptar-ne-100-vjet/#ixzz3NmKdëDLm
(3) Gogo, G (1935) Ushtrohem çdo mëngjez. Ushtrime gjimnastike dhe këshilla (për nxënësit e shkolllave fillore, djem), marrë nga seminari në gjimnastika për shkolla fillore prof.dr Sippel i shkollës së lartë të edukatës fizike dhe të lartë në Berlin. Minerva, Tiranë
(4) Sporti Popullor (1967) Për një zhvillim të mëtejshëm të fiskulturës e sporteve në masat e rinisë. 13.6. 1967; fq 4
(5) Sporti Popullor (1969) Mendime të mësuesve të edukimit fizik. 21.1.1969; fq 3.
(6) Maçi, E (1969). Masave punonjëse dhe rinisë u janë krijuar kushte shumë të mira për edukimin fizik. Sporti Popullor; 18.11.1969, fq 4
Published by Juel Jarani, Florian Muca, Ilir Dojka, Dean Qefalia, Andi Spahi: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF The organization and functioning of the physical education system in albania. History of physical education in europe I, 1 edited by Peter D Pavlovic, Nenad Zivanovic, Antala Branislav, Kristina Pantelic Babic, 01/2015: chapter 1: pages 24-38; University of Pristina, Faculty of Sport and Physical Education in Leposavic FIEP Europe., ISBN: 978-86-82329-52-7
