Co-curricular activities and students' adaptation in large secondary school environment in the South West region of Cameroon

This study was designed to examine co-curricular activities on students’ adaptation to secondary school environment in the South West Region, Cameroon. The study sought to examine the influence of co-curricular activities on students’ adaptation to secondary school environment. The concurrent triangulation design was used in the study. The population of the study comprised of all secondary school students and principals in all private, public and confessional schools in the South West Region of Cameroon. The target population comprised of all students and principals of private, public and confessional secondary schools in the South West Region with a population of over a thousand. The accessible population comprised of form four students and principals of 21 schools with a population of over a thousand. The purposive sampling technique was used for selecting the schools and principals. The sample population was made up of 375 students and 21 principals from 21secondary schools with a population of over a thousand. The purposive sampling technique was used to select schools as well as to sample principals. An interview was used to collect data from principals while questionnaire was used for students. Content and face validity for both questionnaire and interview were ensured. To ensure that the questionnaire was reliable, a pilot study was conducted and was calculated using the Cronbach Alpha coefficient, while to ensure reliability of the interview, a tape recorder was used. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings showed that there is a significant relationship between co-curricular activities and students’ adaptation to school environment with a value of (R=0.949) co-curricular activities have both positive and negative influence on students’ adaptation to school environment. Co-curricular activities have a significant positive influence on students’ adaptation to school environment. Therefore, it was recommended that: co-curricular activities should appear on the curricular giving it adequate time and providing enough space to accommodate all the students in each school.