Out-of-the-classroom activities like outdoor sports, social services, dramas and educational expeditions thus offer an ultimate haven for the students to rejuvenate themselves and also enhance their cognitive development.[break] This is what Beejen Shrestha, coordinator of Extra Curricular Activities (ECA) at Shuvatara School in Sanepa says about why extracurricular activities should be an integral part of students´ lives.
He furthers, "Extracurricular activities provide them the platform to learn new skills and also improve the skills they already possess. Involvement in such activities not only helps the students in unwinding themselves from the hectic schedules and work overload but also helps in the overall personality development."
Extracurricular activities may range from various outdoor and indoor sports to social services and voluntary works. It could also include joining poetry and drama clubs, vocational classes like stitching, painting, drawing and excursions.
Shrestha further puts in that the benefits of extracurricular activities are many. "It enhances and marks a positive impact on the student´s emotional, social, intellectual and individual development. Besides this, through the teamwork, students learn to communicate, take up leadership roles and acquire managerial skills.
Sujal KC, 12, a fifth grader at Adarsha Vidya Mandir (AVM) School, who is in his school football team, shares, "I feel rejuvenated and good after indulging in various sports activities in school." Sujal goes to practice football every Saturday at Jawalakhel Youth Club and feels that the time he would otherwise waste by sleeping is being utilized meaningfully.
"I loathe the idea of becoming a bookworm and a nerd, so I want to excel in sports along with my studies," he says.
He further adds that being a scout member, it has helped him get a lot of exposure and involvement in outdoor activities like camping, hiking and other challenging sports.
He further adds that by being active in such extracurricular activities he has been able to make a wide circle of friends and gained more confidence. A studious young man, he nevertheless feels physically fit. By getting involved in various such school activities, students have opportunities to improve their leadership and interpersonal skills and also hone their self-confidence. "Being a part of the sports team allows students to learn sportsmanship, devotion, responsibility and practically also learn the importance of team work," adds Shrestha.
Like Sujal, there are many students who share real enthusiasm for sports and extracurricular activities. However, in most schools, the focus is mainly on academics.
Mahendra Man Shakya, student advisor at Malpi School and secretary of Nepal Basketball Association, shares, "In our school days, extra-activities were very much part of the school´s curriculum. When I was a student at St Xavier´s School, we participated in all sorts of extracurricular activities like sports, music, dramas, carpentry , arts and crafts to name a few. Apart from these, there used to be lot of cultural events where students actively took part."
He further says the teachers then encouraged the students to take part in such activities. "But, today, no priority is given to such extracurricular activities in the schools and many such activities have been cut down." "Moreover," he continues, "Students are busy with video games and surfing the Internet and focus less on outdoor activities."
Talking about the importance of extracurricular activities for students, Shakya says, "Extracurricular activities help students develop skills which can come handy in their later life."
"There are hardly any extracurricular activities for the children here. The focus is mainly on studies and so it´s really monotonous for the students with less room for outdoor activities," shares Rita KC, a teacher at International School, Gyaneshwor. According to her, many parents in Nepal view that excelling in studies is the only way to get ahead in life.
KC further explains that there is also a misconception that extracurricular activities are just limited to music and dance.
In some schools, students feel discouraged to continue with their usual zeal in sports and extracurricular activities mainly because of the lack of encouragement from parents and the teachers. "I quit my membership in scouts since my grades were falling and my performance in studies was affected badly. My parents asked me to quit because they didn´t want my studies to get hampered due to sports and extracurricular activities," shares Suruchi Singh, 15, a nine grader who doesn´t want to disclose her school´s name.
Many parents also have a wrong notion that indulging in extracurricular activities hamper their children´s studies. Talking about her son´s participation in school activities, Sulekha Regmi shares, "I had always supported my child to take part in school sports and other activities but the after-school practice and hectic schedules hampered my son´s performance in studies. Sometimes he didn´t even have time to finish his homework and so I had to make him cut down on his extra activities."
However, things are changing, albeit gradually. And the extracurricular activities are gaining prominence and included in the school curricula in some of the elite schools.
"Apart from the academic life, it is very important for one to have time for extracurricular activities to boosts individual skills development. Parents and teachers should, therefore, incorporate and value the importance of extracurricular activities in school," opines Beejen Shrestha, coordinator of ECA.
"In our school too, we have social service, expeditions and outdoor activities, both indoor and outdoor sports and recreation. We equally value such activities and encourage students to take part in it," says Shrestha, adding from his own observation that the students with outstanding performance in extracurricular activities are the ones who also perform well in studies.
"But balance is the key to manage time for both studies and sports," he says.
Shrestha puts in, "Students are very much influenced by peer groups in their academic performance and behaviors. Involving in extracurricular activities is thus the best way to interact with other students and build social skills as it provides a platform to learn from each other, work in groups and enhance personality development."
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