Determinants of mainstreaming of life skills education in public secondary schools in Gatanga District, Kenya

Abstract

The focus of the study was on the determinants of life skills education in public secondary schools in Gatanga district. The study mainly aimed at determining the teachers' perceptions on the mainstreaming of the life skills education, whether resource materials for life skills education were available, and whether teachers had been trained on the mainstreaming of life skills education in public secondary schools.

The study adopted a descriptive survey design and was conducted in 16 public secondary schools. The respondents included 16 principals, 16 heads of guidance and counseling, 96 subject teachers and 256 learners. Stratified, purposive and simple random sampling procedures were used. Primary data were collected using self administered questionnaires. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis.

Some findings of the study were that aspects of life skills education were being taught through integration and infusion in various subjects. Aspects of the subject were also taught in guidance and counseling, and other school activities such as games and clubs. The stand alone aspect of teaching life skills had not been fully embraced in most schools, and the main handicaps seemed to be negative perceptions by teachers and lack of training for teachers. Schools also lacked important resource materials such as syllabi and text books.

Major recommendations were that there should be ongoing advocacy for life skills education by the MoE, churches and non-governmental organizations, right and adequate resource materials should be provided, and teachers should receive specific training in life skills education.