Abstract

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in Malawi introduced a Life Skills Education Policy in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Two Life Skills Curricula—Life Skills Education (taught as a core subject) and WHY WAIT‘? (a faith based curriculum often taught as a club which students attend on a voluntary basis) have been offered for over 5 years at both primary and secondary level. However, recent research reveals that behaviour change is limited amongst students. The purpose of this mixed methods study is to assess the implementation of Life Skills Education Policy, by comparing the Malawi Institute of Education’s Life Skills Education curriculum with Sub-Saharan Africa Family Enrichment’s WHY WAIT? curriculum, in order to establish the level of classroom teaching and learning and compare the strengths and weaknesses of both, so as to recommend how to make Life Skills Education more responsive to secondary students’ needs. The study compared the Life Skills Education and WHY WAlT‘? curricula by assessing the mobilization of resources, comparing the coverage of the syllabi, implementation in secondary schools and impact. Out of the population sample of 110, half of the participants were involved in the implementation of the Life Skills Education curriculum and the other half were for WHY WAIT?. Ten purposively sampled officials were interviewed, and data were coded and categorized. Four schools were purposively selected for lesson observation, and 20 teachers and 80 students were randomly systematically sampled to respond to questionnaires. These data were analysed using SPSS. Results revealed that the planning of implementation of both Life Skills Education and WHY WAIT? curricula did not involve the community and students, who are key stakeholders in the Life Skills Education policy. Both Life Skills Education and WHY WAIT? have had an impact, though the impact of Life Skills Education is less than expected by the Ministry of Education. Monitoring of both Life Skills Education and WHY WAIT? has been inadequate. However, WHY WAIT‘? has a systematic system of monitoring at every level. Finally, WHY WAIT? lessons are more lively than Life Skills Education lessons. The Ministry should introduce a moral-values based Life Skills program. It is also recommended that a life skills week be introduced to secondary schools where students could do development work in order to instill responsibility in them.

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School	: School of Education
Issued Date	: 2009

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