Transforming Education Through Life Skills: A Search for a Solution for Disadvantaged Students

It is seen as a need to integrate trainings for the development of life skills of disadvantaged children into schools. It is recommended to plan such activities by drawing attention to the lack of intervention programs for the development of life skills. In this context, the objective of the present study is to examine the effects of out-of-school activities within the scope of the “Life Skills for Schools Project” on the problem-solving skills of disadvantaged students. The present project, which has been implemented in cooperation with UNICEF and the Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Türkiye, has been designed with the aim of enhancing students’ life skills and preparing them for life. The initiative was meticulously devised to cater to the specific requirements of disadvantaged students, with the implementation encompassing Syrian refugee students and those impacted by a recent seismic event. The study’s sample comprised 852 students enrolled in the ninth grade. The present study employed a one-group pre-test post-test experimental model. In the course of the study, a comparison was made of the pre-test and post-test scores of the students. This comparison revealed a significant difference in favor of the post-test. The findings of the study demonstrated that the Life Skills for Schools Project was effective in enhancing the problem-solving skills of disadvantaged students. Furthermore, the conclusion of the project revealed that female students demonstrated a greater improvement in problem-solving skills compared to their male counterparts.