LIFE SKILLS AND EDUCATIONAL ASPIRATION OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study was undertaken to determine the relationship between life skills and educational aspirations of senior secondary school students in Akwa Ibom State. It was part of the iLEAD pilot programme undertaken in the State by the Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability and Professionalism (LEAP) Africa project which sought to determine the feature of leadership variables among secondary school students using training and mentorship programme in five secondary schools in two senatorial districts in the state. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between life skills and educational aspirations of the students who participated in the life skills training and mentoring programme and those who did not. Sex, age and family background of the students were also used to determine the featuring of the life skills and educational aspiration. Using researcher-developed instrument, the study compared the life skills and educational aspirations of 276 students who participated in the training programme with those of 240 students who did not participate using independent t-test test and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation statistics and tested at .05 confidence level. The findings indicated no significant relationship between life skills and educational aspiration of the students, significant difference in life skills and educational aspiration between participants and non-participants, significant difference in life skills of participants based on family background and significant difference in educational aspiration based on sex and age. Based on the findings, intensification of life skills training in secondary schools was recommended.