A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 150 respondents from six East Jerusalem secondary schools that follow the Israeli curriculum (Table 1). The largest subgroup consisted of students (n = 105, 70%), followed by PE teachers (n = 30, 20%). School administrators formed 4% (n = 6) of the sample. Additionally, 6% (n = 9) were categorized as other stakeholders, referring to teachers from non-PE subjects who nonetheless provided essential insights into students' interdisciplinary perceptions of PE.

A multi-stage random sampling approach was employed to recruit participants exclusively from secondary schools in East Jerusalem, which are administratively under Israeli jurisdiction. These schools typically prepare students for the Israeli Bagrut (matriculation) examinations. To receive a grade in PE, students are generally required to participate in weekly PE classes, with assessment based on participation and performance in fitness or skill-based activities, subject to school-level guidelines. The local education authority obtained an official list of all 10 secondary schools in East Jerusalem. Six schools were selected: Beit Hanina, Shuafat, Wadi al-Joz, Sur Baher, Silwan, and Jabal Mukaber. Within each selected school, participants were randomly drawn from four stakeholder categories: students, PE teachers, administrators, and other staff, with a target of at least 25 participants per school.

Prior to data collection, the required sample size was estimated using G*Power (Version 3.1.9.7), assuming a moderate effect size (Cohen's w = 0.3), α = 0.05, and power = 0.80. This calculation indicated a minimum sample of 138 participants; therefore, the final target was 150 to account for potential non-responses and incomplete data. PE classes in these schools typically include a range of structured physical activities designed to promote cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, and coordination. Typical activities include running, stretching, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and team sports such as soccer, basketball, and volleyball.

The questionnaire was developed by the research team based on a comprehensive review of relevant literature on school-based PA and PE. Items were adapted from previously validated international and Israeli instruments to ensure cultural relevance to the East Jerusalem school context. To assess content validity, the instrument was reviewed by a panel of 3 experts in PE, educational psychology, and curriculum design, all with more than five years of academic or field experience. They evaluated each item for clarity, relevance, and alignment with the study's objectives. Based on their feedback, several items were revised or removed to enhance precision and minimize ambiguity.

To ensure face validity, the revised questionnaire was pilot-tested with a convenience sample of 15 students from non-participating schools in East Jerusalem. Students were asked to comment on the clarity, language, and interpretability of the items. Minor modifications were made based on their suggestions. The questionnaire demonstrated acceptable reliability, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.87.

Cronbach's alpha coefficients were calculated for each of the four primary domains assessed in the questionnaire to guarantee the credibility and internal consistency of the study instrument (Table 2).

The domain “Activities to encourage students to participate in PA” demonstrated excellent internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of α = 0.849. The “Students’ total PA” domain showed good reliability (α = 0.763). Additionally, the domains “Perceptions about the importance of PA” and “Factors influencing students’ participation in PE classes” reported acceptable reliability coefficients of α = 0.711 and α = 0.727, respectively. All coefficients exceeded the widely accepted threshold of 0.70, indicating that the items within each construct were internally consistent and yielded stable measurements. These findings support the instrument's psychometric robustness and its suitability for assessing perceptions and behaviours related to PE.

This study received ethical approval from the Chief Scientist's Office at the Israeli Ministry of Education, the official body responsible for authorizing research conducted within the national school system. As part of this approval process, the research team received formal authorization to enter schools, which was presented to school administrators to introduce the study and obtain institutional support. Informed consent was obtained from the parents or legal guardians of all participating students. An official letter, distributed to families, clearly outlined the study's objectives, procedures, and confidentiality measures and included an opt-out form. Students whose parents declined participation were excluded from the study, in full compliance with the approved ethical protocol. All research activities were conducted by qualified academic investigators. Focus group discussions, where applicable, were facilitated by trained moderators approved under the ethics clearance to ensure methodological and ethical integrity throughout the study.

Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, and frequencies) were used to characterize respondents' demographics and attitudes. Chi-square tests were conducted to assess associations among categorical variables. All analyses were performed using SPSS version 26, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

As indicated in Table 3, in terms of PE hours per week, a significant majority of the sample population (n = 106, 70.7%) noted having only one hour, whereas two hours (n = 22, 14.7%) or three or more hours (n = 22, 14.7%) were lesser reported. These numbers suggest that almost three out of four students have low PA levels within the school system. In terms of preferences, most participants (n = 98, 65.3%) were satisfied with the current distribution of hours. Almost one-third of the students (n = 47, 31.3%) wanted more PE hours, while only a small number (n = 5, 3.3%) would rather have fewer. This highlights a slight disparity between actual provision and students' perceived need for PE, which is generally beneficial for students' attitudes towards exercise within schools. To gain further insight into the students' views, they were asked to assess the value associated with PE and their level of participation in physical activities (Table 4). The statement “PE classes are important to you and are no less important than any other subject taught in school” received the highest mean score (M = 4.17, SD = 0.91; relative weight = 83%). It was followed by the statement, “Compared to other subjects, PE classes are just as important as all other disciplines” (M = 3.54, SD = 1.00; relative weight = 71%). Strong agreement was noted regarding the importance of PE. However, the participation outside the school hours was quite different. The statement “PA in the after-work hours…” had the lowest mean score (M = 1.69, SD = 0.84; relative weight = 56%), and “Sports activities in which students can engage in their social surroundings” also had low mean scores (M = 2.93, SD = 1.13). The average score (M = 3.36, SD = 0.57) indicates that the perception of PE is generally positive, although additional factors make participation outside of set school hours challenging.

To understand how these perceptions vary across roles, a cross-tabulation analysis was conducted among PE teachers, students, and administrators (Table 5). Statistically significant differences emerged regarding the perceived availability of community sports resources: while 79.6% of students reported “very little/little” access, only 3.7% of PE teachers and 19.7% of administrators held the same view (χ² = 16.375, p = 0.003). Teachers were more likely to report moderate or high availability. A similar perceptual gap was observed in engagement with after-school activities. Although 64.3% of students reported no participation, PE teachers indicated more diverse activity patterns. While not statistically significant, the difference approached relevance (χ² = 8.765, p = 0.067). Agreement on the value of after-school PA also varied by role (χ² = 8.839, p = 0.065), with students expressing higher levels of enthusiasm than teachers or administrators. Finally, significant differences were observed in the perceived academic importance of PE (χ² = 16.823, p = 0.002), with teachers more likely to rate it as “large” or “very large”, whereas administrators and students were somewhat more varied.

To assess whether exposure to PE shapes students' perceptions and behaviours, another cross-tabulation examined outcomes by the number of weekly PE hours (Table 6). Students receiving three or more PE hours were significantly more likely to report high availability of sports opportunities in their surrounding environment (32.5%) compared to those with two hours (15%) and one hour (11.1%) (χ² = 15.158, p = 0.004). In contrast, 74.1% of students with only one PE hour reported limited access to such opportunities. Although students with greater PE exposure also reported higher rates of participation in extracurricular PA two to three times per week (14.5% for the three-hour group), the association did not reach statistical significance (χ² = 8.938, p = 0.177). However, perceptions regarding the value of after-school PA differed significantly across exposure levels (χ² = 300, p < 0.0001). All students who disagreed with the value of after-school activity were from the one-hour group, whereas agreement was exclusive to students with two or more hours of PE. Likewise, perceived academic importance of PE was strongly associated with exposure (χ² = 56.393, p < 0.0001), with 46.4% of students in the three-hour group and 37.7% in the two-hour group rating it as “large” or “very large”, compared to only 15.9% in the one-hour group. These findings indicate that increased PE exposure is significantly linked to more favorable attitudes toward both PA and the academic value of PE. To deepen the analysis, students' preferences regarding weekly PE hours were examined in relation to their PA attitudes and behaviors (Table 7). Preferences were categorized as wanting more, the same, or fewer PE hours. A statistically significant association was observed between students’ attitudes toward after-school activity and their preferences (χ² = 26.680, p < 0.001). Among those who valued after-school activities, 31.3% wanted more PE, and only 0.8% wanted less. In contrast, 33.3% of students who did not value after-school activities preferred fewer hours. A similar trend was observed regarding how students perceived the academic importance of PE (χ² = 20.210, p < 0.001). Students who rated PE as “very important” overwhelmingly wanted either the same amount (65.3%) or more time (31.3%), while only 3.3% preferred less. Meanwhile, 17.4% of those rated PE as “very little/little” in importance preferred reduced hours. Other variables, such as the perceived availability of sports opportunities and actual participation in extracurricular PA, did not show statistically significant associations with students' preferences for PE hours. This suggests that while environmental factors may shape attitudes, students' valuation of PE and belief in its importance are the strongest predictors of their desire for increased PE time.

The previous analyses examined the differences stemming from stakeholder roles in the PE classes, the number of hours spent in class, and whether students would prefer more or fewer PE classes. Now, it is essential to examine students' attitudes towards the active role the school plays in encouraging them to engage in PA. These attitudes reflect the school's institutional commitment to student physical well-being. To understand this aspect, the focus was on the descriptive statistics regarding the level to which schools motivate, instruct, and facilitate PA both during and after school hours. A descriptive analysis was made to assess how students working in the school perceive the encouragement given towards exercise both within and outside official school hours (Table 8). The item rated highest was “During the school work plan, the stresses motivating students to participate in sports activity inside and outside the school”, which had a mean value of 3.78 (SD = 0.99), with 75.6% agreement, indicating a high level of agreement. In the same context, students have also confirmed that “The school explains the importance of PA and a healthy lifestyle” with a mean score of 3.67 (SD = 1.07; relative weight = 73.5%), which suggests moderate agreement. There was moderate agreement as well for the item “Your school encourages students to play ball games or free games in the schoolyard” (M = 3.47, SD = 1.21) but the lowest mean was for “Your school encourages students to participate in PA also after official working hours”, which received a neutral response (M = 3.13, SD = 1.19; relative weight = 63%). Based on these results, students perceive that motivation and structured education about PA are mainly limited to school hours, and there is little to no direct encouragement to participate in physical activities after school. The overall average is somewhat high, with a mean item score of 3.51 (SD = 0.82), indicating that there is general agreement that schools provide PE; however, the level of such encouragement varies depending on the situation.

To deepen this analysis, a cross-tabulation was conducted to examine differences among students, PE teachers, and school administrators. Statistically significant group differences were observed across all four items (Table 9). Teachers and students expressed relatively higher agreement with items related to in-school encouragement, while administrators showed notably lower deal. For example, although 61.7% of students agreed that PA is emphasized within the school plan, only 10.3% of administrators concurred (χ² = 21.681, p = 0.000). Similarly, students and teachers were more likely to agree that the school promotes ball games or explains the importance of a healthy lifestyle, whereas administrators were less likely to affirm these roles. The starkest perception gap appeared in encouragement for after-hours activity, where 82% of students disagreed that schools promoted such engagement, despite 30.6% of teachers reporting otherwise (χ² = 17.819, p = .001).

Taken together, the descriptive and inferential analyses reveal that while students acknowledge the presence of PA promotion during school hours, the effort appears to taper off outside these times. Additionally, significant perceptual mismatches between stakeholder groups underscore the need for greater alignment in communication and policy regarding PA promotion across the school day.

To assess how students perceive the role of PE teachers in encouraging PA beyond scheduled class periods, a series of items was analysed using descriptive statistics (Table 10). The analysis focused on teacher encouragement, educational messaging, follow-up on extracurricular engagement, and the frequency of active breaks during the school day. The highest-rated item was “The PE teacher at school encourages me to do PA in my spare time”, with a mean score of 3.47 (SD = 1.12) and a relative weight of 0.694. This suggests that students agree that their PE teachers serve as motivational figures for promoting PA outside of school hours. The second-highest rated statement was “The PE teacher explains the importance of PA” (M = 3.40, SD = 1.17; relative weight = 0.68), indicating a generally positive perception of the teachers' educational role in health promotion. Conversely, students expressed more neutral views on items that required ongoing engagement or the application of PA to everyday life. The item “During the PE classes, they explain to us how to apply PA also outside working hours (e.g., walking instead of riding a car, using stairs instead of the elevator)” received a mean score of 3.25 (SD = 1.26), while “The PE teacher cares and asks about the sports activities that I participate in after official working hours” received a nearly identical mean of 3.24 (SD = 1.32). Both items reflect a lack of strong consensus, suggesting that while students perceive some support, it may be limited in follow-through or practicality. Finally, the statement addressing the frequency of adequate breaks involving PA within the school day received a mean of 3.25 (SD = 1.11), interpreted as approximately “one or two times a week”, which further suggests room for improvement in incorporating PA into the daily school routine. The overall mean score for this set of items was 3.31 (SD = 0.99), corresponding to a neutral level of agreement. This result indicates that while PE teachers are generally viewed as encouraging, their role in reinforcing PA behaviours beyond class hours may not be fully optimized or consistently experienced by students.

Although previous studies have analyzed the role schools and PE teachers play in encouraging active lifestyles, students' views on their participation in PE classes and potential restraints are also crucial. Knowing students' perceptions and barriers tells much more about the environment and describes the negative conditions of motivation and participation. The next part of the table examines students' perceptions of their enjoyment of PE and the social, emotional, and structural factors that impact their continued participation. From the analysis of students' responses (Tables 11, 12), it was clear that their overall attitude towards participating in PE was positive, and their perception of barriers to participation was low. Most students supported the statement, “I love participating in PE classes inside the school” (M = 4.15, SD = 0.90; relative weight = 0.83), with this level of support indicating strong enthusiasm for PE within the student body. However, most of the perceived obstacles, such as low motivation (M = 2.26) and insufficient equipment (M = 1.94), as well as teacher training frustration (M = 2.13), and teachers not having time due to numerous other responsibilities (M = 2.07), were rated as having little impact. Likewise, students' low motivation (M = 2.36) or low perceived importance of PE among peers (M = 2.34) were equally as unproblematic. Notably, while the barriers to participation were perceived to be low, one particular concern was the high rate of cancellations of PE compared to other subjects. Students endorsed the statement, “PE classes are canceled more often than other classes” (M = 3.65, SD = 1.28; relative weight = 0.73), suggesting that cancellation of classes may contribute to disaffection. The embarrassment factor in PE classes received a neutral rating (M = 2.91), indicating that respondents perceived emotional discomfort as present, but not to a strong enough extent to influence their participation choice. The overall mean across all items is 2.38 (SD = 0.54), indicating that students generally seem to enjoy PE. Yet, some broader structural or sociological aspects are identifiable and do not allow their full engagement.