Co-curricular activities form an important part of the educational programme in the present times. Giving its observation about co- curricular activities the Mudaliar Commission states, “A school is not merely a place of formal learning, whose main concerns is to communicate a prescribed quantum of knowledge, which is primarily interested in training its pupils in the gracious art of living.”
Above observation clearly explains the function of school as a centre of educational growth and excellence. It also shows that it is obligatory, on the part of the school, to develop student’s personality and shaping up of their character.
To attain these aims we have to move out of the four walls of the class-room and introduce some well organised and well planned programmes of co-curricular activities. The information gained through such programmes supplements the information gained through the regular school courses in the class.
Thus we find that co-curricular activities form an integral part of the school programme.
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Principle of organizing co-curricular activities
The need and importance of co-curricular activities discussed in previous article makes it clear that co-curricular activities are an integral part of school education. Such activities are organised in school with following objectives in mind.
1 To provide equal opportunity to all the students to take part in
2. To enrich their interest and understandings of the contributions made by other streams to the teaching of commerce.
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In organising such activities the following points are kept in mind.
1. Such activities should always be executed through the active and willing cooperation of the students, staff and school management.
2. Different age groups of students of commerce are always kept in mind while organising co-curricular activities for them.
3. The time spent on such activities should be reasonable.
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4. All efforts are made to keep a proper balance within the activities of each individual student and the programme of the department as a whole.
Balanced Development
Commerce teacher should try to involve his students in a variety of co-curricular activities by involving them in tasks which are to their liking and interest. No special emphasis be laid on any particular type of activity and should also not neglect any type of activity. It would be desirable if each student is asked to participate in a number of activities.
Such activities be planned in such a way as to train the child to work with a sense of service and with a sense of dignity of labour. The teacher is also expected to see that a proper balance is maintained between service to others and service for self-development.
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Values of co-curricular activities
It has been amply emphasised in previous pages that co-curricular activities are supplementary and complementary to curricular activities. Such activities are of immense values to students, to teachers, to schools and to the business community.
Some of these are listed here:
(i) Helps to develop in student’s proper individual and collective responsibilities with desirable qualities of leadership.
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(ii) Helps to develop the ability to work with others.
(iii) Helps to develop the leisure time advantageously.
(iv) Helps to train them to become good citizens of the country.
(v) Helps to train the students as how to plan and direct their own enterprises and to exercise initiative and judgment.
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(vi) To create confidence in students to rely on their own capabilities to do the work.
(vii) To foster a spirit of self-reliance in work when they grow old and settle in different walks of life.