English-medium schools in Bangladesh emphasize holistic development alongside academics. Students from junior levels through A-Levels participate in debate clubs, Model United Nations (MUNs), sports teams, arts workshops and coding classes to sharpen skills beyond the classroom. Experts note that these extracurricular activities (ECAs) develop leadership, communication and critical thinking. These activities help students develop leadership skills and sharpen communication abilities while boosting problem-solving and passion. A student at Chittagong's CIDER International, Sunehra Subah, agrees as she says participating in debate taught her to "think on my feet" and craft logical arguments, abilities she now uses daily in class discussions.

ECAs build a range of transferable abilities which includes:

Leadership & confidence: Leading debates, organizing events or captaining teams lets students take charge. Students agreed that ECAs improved their leadership qualities and communication skills.

Teamwork: Sports, group projects and clubs teach collaboration. Playing a team sport is associated with teamwork skills and even hand–eye coordination. Students learn to rely on peers and share responsibility.

"Being part of my school's sports club and International Global Affairs Council (IGAC) has allowed me to collaborate with diverse people, build teamwork and leadership skills, and gain global exposure through events like MUNs, sports competitions and cultural performances that is continuously helping in shaping my future."

Creativity: Music, visual arts, drama and even coding spur creative thinking. Many students improve their skills in the arts, primarily music, dance and visual arts, in order to share their talents" online. Building robots or apps in coding clubs similarly engages inventive problem-solving.

Time management: Balancing studies with clubs or volunteering demands planning and discipline. Dedicating hours each week to practice or meetings teaches students to juggle priorities. This in turn helps students in understanding the strict time-management and organization

Global awareness: Model UN, language clubs and international volunteering expose students to other cultures and world issues. Starting volunteering work as early as O levels teaches young people about the reality of life, which universities mostly cannot provide. Sunehra adds, "representing other countries in MUN broadened my perspective, giving me insights into global challenges and diplomacy."

Teamwork & Discipline

Many ECAs thrive on teamwork. School sports teams, house competitions and coding contests force students to collaborate. These activities reinforce discipline: training for a match or meeting club deadlines demands commitment. These consistent effort in a passion project demonstrates dedication and specialisation which are qualities recruiters and admission officers want to see. Sunehra observes that her basketball captaincy taught her to communicate clearly with teammates and respect roles. Such teamwork experiences not only improve grades  but also boost university applications with evidence of real-world collaboration.

Global Perspective

ECAs give English-medium students an international outlook. MUNs, international debating contests and language clubs put students in global contexts. Similarly, volunteering at NGOs or community projects connects them with social issues at home and abroad. In practice, organising charity drives or environmental projects connects teens to global causes. These activities foster empathy and cultural awareness. By engaging with students from different backgrounds, Sunehra says she gained confidence in public speaking and it "opened her eyes to how issues like climate change look different around the world." Such experiences help build a global perspective prized by universities overseas.

Admissions Edge

When applying to universities in the US, UK, Canada and beyond, Bangladeshi students rely on ECAs to stand out. Admissions officers often say the extracurricular section can be the single determining factor in an application. ECAs reveal students' passions and soft skills. They provide a comprehensive view of a student beyond grades. For A Level applicants from Bangladesh , where thousands vie for slots at top global universities , a robust ECAs record demonstrates qualities like initiative and teamwork.

Leading schools already preach this philosophy. In practice, students' résumé committees and scholarship programs look at club achievements. Therefore, today's English-medium learners are following the right path of engaging in debate, sports, arts and service which builds confidence and gives them a well-rounded school experience.