Constraints Facing Acquisition Of Life-Skills To Curb Risky Behavior Among Public Secondary School Students In Thika Municipality Kenya

ABSTRACT

The study investigated the constraints facing acquisition of lifeskills to curb risky behavior among secondary school students in Thika municipality. The objectives where: Assess student involvement in risky behavior, inquire into the constraints hindering acquisition of lifeskills by students, and investigate challenges encountered by principals and teachers in supervising and teaching lifeskills education. The study adopted an exploratory approach using a survey design. The school principals were purposefully sampled while stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used to sample teachers and students. Supervisor expert opinion validated the questionnaires and reliability was through test-retest method. Data collected was coded into themes and analysis done using statistical package for social sciences (S.P.S.S).

The findings were presented in tables, pie charts, graphs and narrations. Research findings showed that students are still involved in risky behavior including drug abuse, early sex, bullying, violence and strikes, despite the efforts to impart lifeskills to students in school. Students, teachers and head teachers agreed that the schools lacked appropriate teaching and learning materials and that, teachers did not have sufficient training in life skills. Students continue to access drugs both at school and at home. The students, teachers, and head teachers also agreed that parents should be more involved in the process of imparting lifeskills to students. There is need for the government to consider special training of teachers, increase teaching and learning materials to improve acquisition lifeskills among students. School principals need to involve parents, NGOs and other stakeholders in facilitating and funding lifeskill programes as well as creating an enabling school environment to promote inculcation of the said psycho-social skills. Further research is recommended to investigate the role of modern technology (mobile phones) in promoting risky behaviors among students.