Significance of Life Skills Education for Students and Teachers in District Rahim Yar Khan

Abstract

The study examines the impact of life skills education on students' and teachers’ personal development, social competence, and mental well-being. Utilizing a descriptive quantitative method, data was collected from 400 students and 100 teachers across four universities including KFUEIT RYK, IUB RYK Campus, NCBA&E RYK Campus, and Superior University RYK Campus in District Rahim Yar Khan, ensuring a representative sample through simple random sampling. To collect the data for this research study, two questionnaires (one for students containing 50 items, and one for teachers comprising 40 items) were used. Analysis via SPSS version 23 revealed that life skills education significantly enhances students' and teachers’ personal and social development and mental well-being, with high awareness levels among students and teachers. Despite this, barriers such as lack of resources, inadequate teachers’ training, and insufficient time allocation hinder effective implementation. To provide an accurate portrayal of the data descriptive statistics, such as the percentage, frequency, standard deviation, and mean, and inferential statistics, such as t-test and one-way ANOVA were utilized. The study found positive correlations between social skills development and successful outcomes, and between emotional skills development and mental well-being, underscoring the necessity of prioritizing life skills education and integrating these skills into the curriculum. The findings highlight the essential role of life skills education in fostering overall students’ success and well-being, calling for institutions and policymakers to address implementation, barriers and emphasize social and emotional skill development to better prepare students for academic, personal, and professional challenges.