Unleashing student potential through co-curricular activities in East Hararghe Secondary Schools, Ethiopia

Co-curricular activities are essential for students' overall development, offering valuable life skills, personal interest exploration, and enriching educational experiences. This study aimed at to explore the effect of co-curricular activities on students' holistic development and education quality. Data was gathered from eight supervisors, ten principals, 14 vice-principals, 20 co-curricular coordinators, 109 teachers, and 259 students across ten schools through purposive and stratified random sampling techniques. A questionnaire and interviews were employed for data collection. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were applied for analysis. The results revealed that co-curricular activities in secondary schools are currently deficient in terms of quantity and quality. Issues such as disorganization, structural challenges, limited student participation, and inadequate training contribute to this problem. Consequently, these activities have limited influence on students' overall development and education quality. The study's implications extend beyond the specific Ethiopian region, highlighting the potential of co-curricular activities to unlock students' potential.