International Journal of Research in Education and Social Sciences

(IJRESS) ISSN: 2617-4804 1 (2) 83-87, October, 2018

www.oircjournals.org

The Influence of Co-Curricular

Activities on Academic Performance
in Public Secondary Schools in Uasin
Gishu County
Charles Nyabero and Javan Ngeywo
University of Eldoret

Type of the Paper: Research Paper.

Type of Review: Peer Reviewed.
Indexed in: worldwide web.
Google Scholar Citation: IJRESS

How to Cite this Paper:

Nyabero C., and Ngeywo J., (2018). The Influence of Co-Curricular Activities
on Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Uasin Gishu
County. International Journal of Research in Education and Social Sciences (IJRESS),
1 (2), 83-87.
International Journal of Research in Education and Social Sciences
(IJESS)
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Nyabero and Ngeywo (2018) www.oircjournals.org

 International Journal of Research in Education and Social Sciences
(IJRESS) ISSN: 2617-4804 1 (2) 83-87, October, 2018
www.oircjournals.org

The Influence of Co-Curricular Activities on Academic

Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Uasin
Gishu County
Charles Nyabero and Javan Ngeywo
University of Eldoret

ARTICLE INFO Abstract

The study investigated the influence of co-
Received 20th August, 2018 curricular activities on academic performance in
Received in Revised Form 13th September, 2018 public secondary schools in Uasin Gishu County.
The target population comprised of students and
Accepted on 25 October, 2018
th
teachers of public secondary schools. Sample
Published online 30th October, 2018 representative was selected through purposive
Key Words: Performance, students, Co-curricular Activities, sampling Thereafter, simple random sampling
Grade Public Secondary Schools was used to select 270 individual respondent form
a total population of 11,360. Data was collected
through questionnaires and interview schedules and analysis was carried out using frequencies, correlation
coefficient and regression coefficient. Validity was conducted and reliability of the questionnaire was computed
based on Cronbach’s alpha coefficient which came to 0.78. The influence of co-curricular activities on academic
performance was positive and could be attributed to its ability to stimulate physical and mental health, social
wellbeing and cognitive growth.

Background of the Study

Co-curricular activities supplement experiences of
formal program of the school day (Millard, 1930).
However, non-academic activities were viewed by
many educators as being primarily recreational and
detrimental to academic performance hence was
discouraged (Marsh & Kleitman, 2002). Co-
curricular activities generally is linked to improved
grade point average (GPA), higher educational
aspirations and increased college attendance (Broh,
2002; Guest & Schneider, 2003). The purpose of the
study therefore was to establish the relationship
between co-curricular activities and academic
performance in Uasin Gishu County in Kenya. This
is with hope that the findings will guide in the
motivation of the students and instructors in the
encouragement of participation in co-curricular
activities in the respective institutions and out of
institutions.
Research Methodology
The study was carried out in Uasin Gishu County
which is in the Rift valley region of Kenya.Both
quantitative and qualitative data were used. The
study focused on students and teachers in public
secondary schools in Uasin Gishu County totaling
11,300 students and 60 co-curricular teachers. The
sample size of 270 was derived at using Degu and
Yigzaw formula based on 5% margin of error.
Where n= number of respondents to include
p=required proportion
w= margin of error allowable
z=level of confidence
n= 1.642 x (0.5) (0.5)
(0.05)2
= 268.96
Questionnaire was used as a tool of data collection
and was self-administered with structured open and
closed ended questions. Validity test was carried out
on the data collection tool through expert analysis
while reliability test was run using Cronbach’s alpha
coefficients which led to an output of 0.78 which
was deemed reliable enough to use the calibrated
tool for data collection. Data were analyzed using
descriptive statistics for all continuous and
categorical data. Coded data were entered into the
statistical package for social science (SPSS) which
was then used to screen and clean data for missing
values and outliers. Inferential statistics and
particularly regression analyses were used to
ascertain the influence of learners’ participation in
co-curricular activities on their academic
performance.

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 International Journal of Research in Education and Social Sciences
(IJRESS) ISSN: 2617-4804 1 (2) 83-87, October, 2018
www.oircjournals.org

Results
A total of 255 respondents returned dully filled
questionnaires which translated to 94.4% return rate.
Table 1: Students response on participation in co-curricular activities
Background characteristics Category N %
Gender of respondents Male 150 63.3
Female 87 36.7
Total 237 100.0
Participation in co-curricular activities Yes 203 85.7
No 34 14.3
Total 237 100.0

The findings in Table 1 indicated that 63.3% of the
respondents were boys while only 36.7% were
female an indication that the education set up in the
area was favoring boy child than girl child. A further
85.7% of the respondents participated in the Co-
curricular activities with 14.3% of the respondents
not participating in the noncurricular activities. This
could be concluded that owing to the energy of the
students they are happy and enjoy being in one or
more co-curricular activities and would require
encouragement from the mentors. On the role by the
teachers on student participation in the co-curricular
activities the findings of the study as shown in Table
2 indicated four key thematic areas namely
coordination, coaching, liaison and moral support to
the students was key in enabling the students to fully
participate in the various Co- Curricular activities in
the learning institutions.

Table 2: Role of teachers on student participation on Co-Curricular activities

Question Themes Sub-themes
What are your roles as Coordination i) Co-ordinate co-curricular activities at the school level
the co-curricular ii) Ensure students participate in co-curricular activities at
activities teacher? school
iii) Take students to compete in co-curricular activities with
other schools
Coaching i) Coach students in co-curricular activities
ii) Work hand in hand with other teachers in preparing students
in various co-curricular activities
iii) Enable students to identify their talents
iv) Guide the leaner’s on what to participate in basing on their
abilities.
Liaison i) Advice the principal on the recommended items for games
ii) Procure required items for co-curricular activities
iii) Facilitate access to co-curricular requirements
Moral i)advice against irresponsible behavior
responsibility ii) Promote good morals
iii) Control peer pressure
iv) Promote teamwork

The results of the study showed (Table 3) an
indication that co-curricular activities had no
negative interference to the student performance.
Students who participated in athletics and passed
amounted to 64.3% compared to 35.7% failures.
More so, 81.8% and 79.2% of students who
participated in soccer and music respectively
passed their exams well. In total, 73.9% of students
who participated in any of the co-curricular
activities passed their exams an indication of
positive influence of the activities to the general
academic performance of the students.

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 International Journal of Research in Education and Social Sciences
(IJRESS) ISSN: 2617-4804 1 (2) 83-87, October, 2018
www.oircjournals.org

Table 3: Student participation in co-curricular activities general performance

co-curricular activity
athletics soccer music Total
Performance Fail Count 30 12 11 53
% within co-curricular activity 35.7% 18.2% 20.8% 26.1%
pass Count 54 54 42 150
% within co-curricular activity 64.3% 81.8% 79.2% 73.9%

Table 4: Correlation Coefficients

Academic performance
1. Participation in athletics Pearson Correlation .632**
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
2. Participation in singing Pearson Correlation .519**
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
3. Participation in soccer Pearson Correlation .508**
Sig. (2-tailed) .000

Correlation analysis results in Table 4 established the performance of the students in schools with
significant relationship between selected co- p<0.05.
curricular activities of athletics, music and soccer on

Table 5: Regression Coefficients

Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized Coefficients
B Std. Error Beta
1 (Constant) 17.566 2.834
Participation in athletics 7.663 1.448 .390
Participation in music 3.546 1.425 .176
Participation in soccer 7.381 1.143 .341

Regression treatment if data implied that MP = Music Participation

performance is a function of participation in SP = Soccer Participation
athletics, participation in music and participation in These findings confirmed that participation in co-
soccer by the high school students. Hence co- curricular activities improve academic performance
curricular activities cannot be totally ignored if focusing on its importance body building activities.
performance of the students is to be considered. This is concurrence with study by Trudeau and
The regression model derived from the study is as Shephard (2008) who found out that learning
below, efficiency increases with sports involvement
𝑺𝑷 = 𝑪 + 𝑨𝑻 + 𝑴𝑷 + 𝑺𝑷 affirmation which is given by Bailey, Hillman,
𝑺𝑷 = 𝟏𝟕. 𝟓𝟕 + 𝟎. 𝟑𝟗𝑨𝑻 + 𝟎. 𝟏𝟖𝑴𝑷 + 𝟎. 𝟑𝟒𝑺𝑷 Arent, & Petitpas, (2013); Choi, Johnson & Kim,
Where (2014); Jonker, Elferink-Gemser, Toering,
SP = Student performance Lyons&Visscher (2006) and Mahar (2011).
C = Constant
AT = Athletic participation

Conclusion and Recommendations part of the performance strategy knowing their

The overall finding of the study is that participation utility in learners’ holistic development. The school
in co-curricular activities has potential to influence management hence need to create a conducive
students’ academic performance in a positive way, environment in time and facilities for the
although other factors also play important roles. The enhancement of the co-curricular activities
influence of co-curricular activities on academic performance.
performance could be attributed to its ability to
stimulate physical and mental health, social Reference
wellbeing, and cognitive growth of the students who Millard, C.V (1930). The organization and
are in active growth stage. Public secondary schools administration of extracurricular
should consider and take co-curricular activities as activities. New York A.S Barnes and Co.
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 International Journal of Research in Education and Social Sciences
(IJRESS) ISSN: 2617-4804 1 (2) 83-87, October, 2018
www.oircjournals.org

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