An educational evaluation of student-athlete experiences in Moroccan sport-study programs

Abstract

The importance of this work lies in assessing the satisfaction level of beneficiaries of the sport-study project while identifying areas for improvement to optimize student-athletes' satisfaction with the services provided by this program. We have chosen the following research question: To what extent are student-athletes satisfied with the services offered by the sport-study program, enabling them to balance their academic studies with their sports practice? The survey was conducted on a sample distributed across two provincial directorates of two different Regional Academies of Education and Training (RAET), namely Beni Mellal-Khenifra and Fez-Meknes. The study involved 154 student-athletes benefiting from the sport-study program, spread across the two provincial directorates (DP) of Khenifra and Fez. We opted for a questionnaire as the research instrument, and the main results obtained are as follows; i) Student-athletes are not entirely satisfied with this program. ii) Satisfaction varies depending on the specific service within the same project. iii) The level of satisfaction does not differ significantly between the two provincial directorates. To enable student-athletes to effectively balance their studies with their sports specialties, we propose the following recommendations; Firstly, improving the quality of certain services by enforcing a contractual framework that requires contractors to comply with the obligations outlined in the agreement. Secondly, granting access to additional services such as medical care, extracurricular activities, etc. Thirdly, involving the academic and career guidance counselor in the project to ensure proper monitoring and support for student-athletes.