Extent of Life Skills Education Integration Among Basic Education Students: Reference to a Policy Brief

This study examined the extent of life skills education integration among basic education teachers in a progressive educational institution in the Philippines and served as the basis for a proposed policy brief. Specifically, the study assessed the integration of communication skills, critical thinking and problem-solving, decision-making, interpersonal and collaborative skills, and self-management skills in classroom instruction. A mixed-methods research design utilizing a descriptive-quantitative approach complemented by qualitative inquiry was employed. Quantitative data were gathered through a researcher-made survey questionnaire administered to fifty (50) licensed basic education teachers from the primary and secondary levels, while qualitative data were obtained through face-to-face interviews with ten (10) purposively selected participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 through mean, standard deviation, independent samples t-test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), while thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative responses. Findings revealed that teachers integrated life skills education to a great extent across all domains, with an overall mean of 3.77 (SD = .237). Among the domains, interpersonal and collaborative skills obtained the highest mean (M = 3.86, SD = .263), while decision-making skills registered the lowest mean (M = 3.70, SD = .351), although still interpreted as integrated to a great extent. Inferential analyses showed no significant differences in the extent of life skills integration when grouped according to age, gender, highest educational attainment, field of specialization, and years of teaching experience (p > .05). Qualitative findings identified major challenges, including time constraints, inadequate teacher training, insufficient instructional materials, and limited collaboration among stakeholders. Based on the findings, a policy brief was proposed to strengthen institutional support and promote systematic integration of life skills education in basic education.