The Effects of Extracurricular Activities on Students’ Academic Performance in Secondary Schools in the Buea Sub-Division
Abstract
This
study was aimed at finding the effects of extracurricular activities on
students’ academic performance in secondary schools in the Buea municipality
because the university is in Buea, so students will attend their classes and
carry out research without so much stress. The research was guided by the
following research questions;
1.
How students participation in club activities affect their academic
performance.
2.
How students’ participation in games affect their academic performance.
3.
How students participation in field trip affect their academic performance.
The
purposive random technique was used to select students of three schools giving
a sample size of 60.The instrument used for the collection of data was the
questionnaires. The data was analyzed using relative frequencies, percentages
and represent in mean and chi square. The results showed that there is a
relationship between extracurricular activities and students’ academic
performance. Finding from research questions showed that;
1.
Findings from research question one show that, there is an effect of club
activities affect students’ academic performance in Buea sub division.
2.
Findings from research question two shows that, sports activities do affect
students’ academic performances.
3.
Findings from research question one show that, there is an effect of the field
trip on students’ academic performances in Buea sub division.
Based
on the findings the following recommendations were made:
Extracurricular
activities should be an independent subject on its own written in official
exams in the Anglophone system of education. By this student will spend time to
learn it or take it seriously and will be aware of its importance as other
subjects or courses. This will be able to solve the problem of students’
reluctant and misconceptions about extracurricular activities in secondary
schools, primary, and universities.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Extracurricular
activities are real and vital. It helps students to learn about the world
naturally. Students use these activities to test ideas, create relationships,
express their feelings and develop skills. Students who participate actively
develop and accumulate their own knowledge about their own world and place in
it (Stone, 1993). Through play, students learn about and how to leave in the
world. Some of these extracurricular activities are games, club activities and
field trip.
This
project is made up of five chapters. Chapter one is made up of introduction and
under the introduction and the introduction, chapter two is made up of the
literature review, chapter three is made up of the research methodology,
chapter four is made up of data representation and analysis and the final
chapter which is chapter five is made up discussion and conclusion.
Background to the Study
It has been generally assumed that participation in extracurricular activities has a positive impact on the retention of students beyond the first year. However, many also believe that these activities may actually affect students’ performance in a negative manner due to conflicting time requirements and competing schedules, even if they do in fact enhance student persistence. In our homes and school, one can find students performing different extracurricular activities.
Even in higher institutions like in the
universities, extracurricular activities have been made compulsory in the form
of physical education (sports), field trip, and club activities.
The extracurricular activities made its first appearance in American colleges in the nineteenth century. It completed the curriculum as much as it subverted it. Students found it a kind of laboratory for practical and vocational interest.
The first extracurricular activities where student literary societies (which
has roots in the previous century at Harvard and Yace), debate clubs, and by
mid-century, Greek letters fraternities and sororities student also initiated
and organized the early athletic programs on the American campus.
Literate societies were on the decline by the turn of the twentieth century, and some educators felt that less desirable extracurricular activities were distracting students from their curricular responsibilities.
Inter collegiate athletics
soon became the dominant element in the extra curriculum in most American
colleges and high schools.
Nonacademic
activities were being primarily recreational and therefore, were detrimental to
academic achievement and consequently were been discouraged because some
educators in 1900 who were skeptical in participation in extracurricular
activities. To Marsh and Kleitmann (2002), schools should focus narrowly on the
outcome of defined academics.
Some
years back, most of the extracurricular activities were carried out by students
using their own initiatives. It is difficult to find a single school without
these activities organized formally. In some schools, parents refuse their
children or students from getting involved in one or more extracurricular
activities reason being that their students or children are occupied hence they
cannot find time to take part. It therefore based on these neglect that the
government of Cameroon introduced in secondary schools what is known as FENASCO
games.
With
this game, some annual exhibitions of culture and art events are organized
where students from different schools complete in several disciplines. The aim
of extracurricular activities is to develop the talent of the students and this
is laid down in the guidelines for education in Cameroon and the national
educational forum of 1995 (Tambo, 2003), which started among other objectives
of education.
Also
extracurricular activities was introduce to train citizens who are firmly rooted
from their cultures, but open to the world and respectful of the general
interest and common will. To develop creativity, and sense of initiative and
the spirit of enterprise, to provide physical, sport artistic and cultural
training for the students or child.
Statement of the Problem
Extracurricular
activities play a vital role in student’s academic performance. From my
observation, some schools in Buea operate in environments where there is
limited space for these activities and even when there is space, some schools
do not build facilities which can accommodate these activities.
Students
always complain of having their timetable tight in such a way that they cannot
participate in these activities. This study intends to investigate the effects
of extracurricular activities on student’s academic performance.
Purpose of the Study
The
purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of extracurricular
activities on student’s academic performance in the Buea municipality.
Specific objectives
- To find out how students participation in club activities affect students’ academic performance.
- To find out how students participation in field trips affect students’ academic performance.
- To find out how students participation in sporting activities affects students’ academic Performance.
