Education is a powerful driver of development and one of the strongest instruments for reducing poverty and improving health, gender equality, and peace. The former president of South Africa Nelson rightly says” Education is the most powerful weapon that can change the entire world.” 
Education is the foundation for many big changes in this world. It shapes an individual to be responsible, and intellectual, and make aware of the issues going on globally. But the question is what kind of education? Is it just about textbooks? No. The present world, specifically Nepal, desperately needs education that could make the students creative, critical thinkers and develop their personality. And there is no rocket science to make it happen. For this, academic institutions just need to give priority to co-curricular activities.  They must understand that textbooks alone can not help students grow. 
Co-curricular activities are those activities that are undertaken along with academic studies.  It is conducted outside the normal classrooms, but they are supposed to supplement the academic curriculum and help in learning by doing. Such activities help students develop problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, and collaborative ability with people.
Studies have found that the ECAs or co-curricular activities are equally important as regular classes. They play a significant role in the development of a balanced personality in students. They are also directly proportional to the student’s physical and mental health.

Only some schools in the country have made the CCAs a frequent affair but many students do not have access to it. Similarly, the schools running CCAs also seem to be not taking it rightly. Mostly, they are hosting the extra activities only during leisure periods or for a couple of hours a week. But actually, they should be connected to education for the entire time.   
Many students have failed to explore their talents and skills due to a lack of CCA activities in school. Some popular CCAs that are popular among Nepali schools are music, dance, drama, and painting. Similarly, some less popular CCAs include debate, volunteering, leadership training, and editorial team for home magazines.   
 
As a high school student, I strongly believe that CCAs activities should be even conducted at the college level. With studies, if there’ll be an environment where students can grow practically and emotionally it would be very easy for them to reach greater heights. Co-curricular activities are also a medium to bring students from all backgrounds together, build up their leadership qualities, cooperation, and get inspired from one another.  

They should not just take expensive fees without giving any facilities in return by betraying the parents and students. The hard-earned money and the future of bright students shouldn’t go wasted. 

We must teach everyone around us to dig into the various possibilities our nation holds so that we can give back to our society and its people. 

In a country like Nepal, extra-curricular activities are very essential as nowadays students are going abroad for better education, and practical knowledge, so we need to ensure that every child is given his/ her right to proper education. Every college should grant proper facilities, education, activities 

 Co- curricular activities are co-related with our academics as it helps students to develop problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, and collaborative abilities.

Co-curricular activities might be compulsory in many schools at the primary and secondary levels. But still, many students in different parts of our country have no access to such activities which will help them broaden their thinking process. Co- curricular activities might be music, dance, drama, and many others that can take place during school hours. Other activities such as volunteering, and training on leadership such as participating in a school sports team, school debating teams, or student newsletters editorial team. 
In either case, participation helps students in emotional development, social skill development, and overall personality development. So, co-curricular activities are very important and it plays a huge role in an individual’s life.
As a high school student, I believe that co-curricular activities are very important in high school too. 
Extracurricular activities also produce competent beings who aspire to inspire with high moral standards who are responsible and capable of achieving a great extent of personal well-being, as well as being able to contribute to the progress of the family, the society, and the nation at large.
Today's youths are the pillars of our nation. They have a bright future, if they are provided with opportunities instead of comparison, and competition we must learn from other countries to build cooperation and make a peaceful environment in schools, colleges, and the workplace where everyone can inspire and help each other fulfill their needs.