Assessment of Life Skills Development among Secondary School Students: Impact of Gender and Type of School Management

Abstract

This research paper discusses the influence of gender and school management style on life skills development among secondary school students in Mandya District, Karnataka. The study adopted a descriptive survey method to collect data from 108 students in six schools, which represented the government, private aided and private unaided sectors. To assess life skills, this study used the Life Skills Assessment Scale developed by A. Radhakrishnan Nair in 2011. Statistical analyses, which include independent t-tests and one-way ANOVA, were conducted at a significance level of 0.05. Findings showed that there was a significant difference in the life skills development between boys and girls, with girls showing a higher level of ability. Besides, students from private unaided schools showed a greater level of life skills as compared to government and private aided schools. These data suggest both that gender and school management style play an important influence in the development of life skills. In pointing out these discrepancies, there is a need for specific targeted educational interventions and resources as well to improve life skills across many school settings. Thus, this study contributes toward a larger discussion on improving the state of life skills education, pointing out specific areas for targeted improvement.