Co-and extracurricular activities in schools have a positive impact on youth employability as they equip students with essential skills such as teamwork, entrepreneurial ability, and critical thinking, needed in the labour market, a new study has shown. Co-curricular activities are those aligned with academic curriculum to complement or enhance learners’ experiences. They include things such as quizz and essay competitions, while extracurricular activities such as sports, are not connected to the curriculum. ALSO READ: Impact of TVET on Rwanda’s employment trends The survey titled Contribution of Co- and Extracurricular Activities to Youth Employability in Rwanda,” was conducted by the Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (IPAR-Rwanda). It focused on young people aged 18 to 26 years in Rwanda. A policy engagement bringing together policy makers, stakeholders, youth representatives, education experts to consider the study findings was held in Kigali, on Friday, December 6. Abi Benie Umwari, a second-year university student who is the programme coordinator at iDebate Rwanda (an organisation for improving critical thinking and communication skills), said she got the job largely thanks to co-curricular and extracurricular activities she did in high school. These activities, she said, equipped her with leadership skills, in addition to coordination, management, and public speaking skills. She told The New Times that teamwork and team building are skills that students gain from extracurricular activities. “So, teamwork and leadership and communication are the skills I saw in the research that [students] are gaining, and all of those skills are necessary for employment,” she said. A sample of 3,000 youths aged 18-26 years from secondary education and tertiary institutions participated in the study. The study also surveyed 150 secondary school teachers and 100 teachers from tertiary institutions (higher learning institutions or universities), and 250 employers from the 30 districts in Rwanda to determine the attitudes and perceptions of co-curricular and extracurricular activities towards youth employability. Regarding perception of the youth on skills gained and employability, the study showed that the most frequently cited skills were those directly related to employability and workplace success. Working hard takes the lead at 65 per cent, followed by entrepreneurial skills at 62 per cent, then positive attitude at 60 per cent, respect for person at 58 per cent, and attributes (potentially referring to personal qualities or characteristics) at 55 per cent. Personal initiative and problem-solving skills are also perceived as important outcomes, reported at 45 per cent, and at 40 per cent, respectively, the study revealed. This, it indicates, shows that these activities foster proactive behaviour and the ability to tackle challenges, both of which are crucial in the workplace. Team work skills were recognised as a significant gain at 35 per cent, demonstrating an awareness of the importance of collaboration and teamwork in professional settings. Eugenia Kayitesi, the Executive Director of IPAR-Rwanda, said that the report was informed by the relatively high unemployment rate among the youth [compared to the general population in Rwanda], and the limited jobs to absorb all the graduates in the labour market. She said that it was carried out to find out how co-and extracurricular activities can support youth employment. “We found that students who learn ordinary courses in class but also get co-and extracurricular activities such as debate, swimming, and dancing, get employment than those who do not,” she said. Germain Muneza, the Dean of Studies at ACEJ Karama TSS, a technical secondary school in Muhanga District, said that there are students who end up doing subjects that are not of their choice or do not offer them employment opportunities upon graduation. Some of those who studied subjects such as accounting, plumbing and welding at the school in the past, are renown theatre play actors; while others are footballers, he indicated. “I consider the courses we offer in secondary school a key to life which makes an individual daring, providing them with the general knowledge they need,” he said, adding that such knowledge helps them to accomplish plans. The main challenges are resource limitations, lack of time due to academic pressure, and limitations or lack of equipment, the study shows, pointing out that addressing these practical barriers is crucial to increasing participation. By prioritising extracurricular activities and integrating them into the broader youth development agenda, Rwanda can harness the potential of its young population to drive economic growth, innovation, and social progress, the authors of the study concluded.
