Educationists in Isingiro District have expressed optimism that strengthening life skills education in schools could help reduce the number of learners dropping out of school.
The educators say many learners face challenges both at home and at school, which often lead to absenteeism and, eventually, permanent withdrawal from education. Betsy Nasasira, a teacher at St. Raphael’s Secondary Vocational School, says girls, in particular, face challenges related to early pregnancies, while boys can also be affected indirectly. Nasasira believes equipping learners with life skills can help them make informed decisions, overcome such challenges and, in the case of girls who become pregnant, find ways of returning to school.
She also identifies poor academic performance as another factor that can push learners out of school, saying repeated failure can cause psychological distress and low self-esteem.
“This is a big one in most cases; these learners, when they feel they have not got what they wanted, feel off, but with these skills they know that they can do, and that they still have a life and they know how to handle the failing and the feeling of being disgusted, lonely, and challenged,” she says.
Nasasira is optimistic that equipping learners with life skills will enable them to confront such challenges themselves instead of abandoning their education. Maria Doreen Katushabe, a teacher at Rwanda Community Secondary School in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, says she has witnessed learners struggle with severe challenges, including suicide, early pregnancies, forced marriages and difficulties coping with stress.
She says skills such as cognitive, emotional and stress-management skills can help learners open up about their challenges, seek support and find solutions instead of resorting to harmful coping mechanisms.
Katushabe says school dropout remains a significant concern, with at least two to three girls and between five and ten boys dropping out at the beginning of each school term. Hanington Besigye, a senior teacher at Rwamurunga Community Secondary School, says life skills education also creates opportunities for greater interaction between teachers and learners.
He says communication and self-expression are particularly important for girls, especially when addressing menstrual hygiene and body changes, which also affect boys as they go through adolescence.
According to Besigye, increased interaction between teachers and learners following life skills sessions has contributed to a reduction in the number of girls missing school because of menstruation, from between four and eight to two and four girls per month. Besigye wants the government to address the gap created by limited life skills education among parents, saying many parents struggle to provide the guidance their children need. He also calls for schools to be equipped with counselling rooms.
Gillian Ntwera, a Programme Officer with Science, Teaching and Innovation Africa in Isingiro District, attributes high dropout rates partly to a lack of confidence among learners to make decisions and deal with challenges on their own. She says training teachers to equip learners with skills such as communication and assertiveness can help young people develop confidence in interacting with their communities and solving problems.
Ntwera also encourages parents to create an environment in which children can openly discuss their challenges, saying parents need to give learners enough space and listen to them.
Joy Mukisa Ntege, a national life skills trainer, says life skills education benefits both teachers and learners by equipping them to become problem-solvers, decisionmakers and critical thinkers. She says learners who acquire these skills are more likely to develop leadership abilities, maintain hope for the future and set personal goals.
Ntege adds that life skills are also important in helping learners undertake project work, which is a key component of the new lower secondary school curriculum. “The young people are doing project work in schools, so when they are aware of problem-solving using life skills, they identify a problem in the community or within the school community.
And after identifying a problem, they make a project that solves that problem.” She says critical thinking and decision-making skills can also help learners find constructive solutions to emotional and social challenges that could otherwise force them to abandon school.
Ntege says the trainers are using the Ministry of Education and Sports Life Skills Toolkit to guide teachers and ensure that life skills education is delivered effectively in schools-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
