Co-curricular Activities and Its Contribution for Psychosocial Skills Development of Students in Upper Primary Schools of Sinana Woreda, Bale Zone, Oromia

Bezabih Wondimu

doi:10.7176/jep/10-28-06

Abstract

The purpose of this research article was to explore co-curricular activities and its contributions for psychosocial skill development of students in upper primary schools of sinana Woreda, Bale zone, Oromia. Pragmatic research paradigm that require mixed research approach more specifically a quantitative dominate concurrent triangulation research design was used to assess co-curricular activities and its contributions for psychosocial skill development of students in upper primary schools of sinana Woreda, Bale zone, Oromia.. The study population consisted of 36 upper primary schools, 2484 co-curricular member students, and 180 co-curricular activity coordinating teachers. Systematic and simple random sampling design were used to select samples of 332 students and ten schools. From the selected ten schools, ten vice directors and 50 selected co-curricular activity coordinating teachers were purposively and simple random sampling techniques were used to approach individual samples The instruments used in data collection were questionnaires and interview questions. Data were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies tables, mean, and standard deviation and inferential statistics, F-test of one-way ANOVA. Qualitative data collected by means of interview were analyzed by means of narration, direct quotations and paraphrasing of the response of the respondents. The analysis made showed that there were active students’ engagement and practicing different types of activities in co-curricular activity program in upper primary schools of Sinana Woreda. In addition, the findings of the study revealed that were accounts for more than 78.9% revealed that co-curricular activities held in upper primary schools of Sinana Woreda were contributed much to the psychosocial skills development of the students. However, there were unresolved challenges that hindered students’ effective and efficient devotion to their fullest capacity to do well in co-curricular activities. Therefore, to overcome such challenges and further enhance student’s role in co-curricular activities, it was suggested that students, co-curricular activity coordinating teachers, school administration, and school community together with woreda education office have to give special attention to actively engage students, follow up, monitor, and provide all necessary financial and material supply for co-curricular activities. Keywords: Co-curricular, Psychosocial, Practice, Challenges, and Skill development DOI : 10.7176/JEP/10-28-06 Publication date :October 31 st 2019

Highlights

Background of the Study The concept of co-curricular activities is varied among different educators. Gill (2015), Joseph (2003) and Chingtham (2016) agreed that co-curricular activity is a program that is out-of-class activity, supervised and/or financed by the school, which provides curriculum-related learning and character-building experiences
In Africa, same problems were manifested in school co-curricular activities. finding of Mbugua, Kaagema, and Nelson (2017), and Kisango (2016) research conducted in Kenya showed that in Africa too school based cocurricular activities were not supported well, not monitored and evaluated against the achievement of its goals and objectives
When we come to Ethiopia, the findings of Ayele Ishete (2007), and Panigrahi and Yadessa (2012) show that in the schools of Ethiopia too, less emphasis were given in organizing and properly implementing co-curricular activities to improve the personality and the talents of the students through co-curricular activities

Summary

Introduction

Background of the Study The concept of co-curricular activities is varied among different educators. Gill (2015), Joseph (2003) and Chingtham (2016) agreed that co-curricular activity is a program that is out-of-class activity, supervised and/or financed by the school, which provides curriculum-related learning and character-building experiences. Ayele Ishete (2007) elaborated that co-curricular activities are free and informal activity that help students to gain opportunity to adjust their future life. These activtieis include different school-based clubs such as sport, art, citizenship, gender issues, HIV/AIDS prevention and protection, press, and vocational clubs. These co-curricular activities that have common elements including: regular meetings, an emphasis on skill development, goal orientation, have plan for actions, as well as the direction, supervision, and the leadership of one or more head teachers (Nilson, 2009)

Methods

Results

Conclusion