An assessment of life skills education at primary, middle & high school

(M. SWK.) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2003In South Africa, many health and social problems such as HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, truancy and violence are constantly on the increase. Measures to combat these problems have until now proved unsuccessful. As a result the social functioning of young people become detrimentally affected. Therefore it is necessary to find new ways of preventing these pathological phenomena, since the future demography of the country depends on the physical, psychological, emotional and cognitive aspects of the present generation. The study was undertaken to assess life-skills education at schools. The researcher felt that it is important because inadequate life-skills education make children vulnerable to social pathologies. The major tools used for data collection were questionnaires and literature reviews. A sample of 43 schools was drawn in the North-West and Mpumalanga Provinces. The findings revealed that the schools and parents do not prepare children for life. That is schools do not offer Life-Skills education or the time spent on Life Skills education is minimal and educators are insufficiently equipped to offer Life-Skills education programmes. It is also found that children receive their sex education from their peers. This shows that parents do not play their role with regard to the proper socialisation of children. The study suggests that life-skills education programmes and more in-service training be organised for educators so that they can offer effective Life-Skills education to learners. Finally, the study submits that, to be successful, prevention should focus on comprehensive team approach. Prevention is not a limited function of educators, social workers or health professionals, but it can be provided in a concerted effort by all these professionals, parents as well as the community. Through this, the increase of health and social problems can be minimised among young people.Master