SENIOR officials from the Department of Education Planning and Training under the Ministry of Education met at Sedona Hotel in Yangon from August 20 to 24 to revise the life skills curricula for grades six through 11 to make the lessons more relevant for students.

An official from the department said the revisions were aimed at making secondary-level life skills curricula easily applicable by students to their real lives.

“In collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund, we discussed what information and skills should be added to the curricula to promote practical use by students,” the official said.

The present curricula, which are skill-based rather than knowledge-based, focus on teaching practical skills in four categories: physically and mentally healthy life; disease prevention; communication skills for social life; and prevention of drug abuse and HIV.

“Skills such as interpersonal skills, creative and critical skills, decision making, problem solving, self-awareness, and coping with emotion and stress help students live a good life,” the official said.

The official said the current curricula have no weaknesses but students need to be encouraged to apply the skills they learn to real-life situations at home and in their communities.

The Ministry of Education introduced life skills curricula for primary-level students in 1999 and secondary-level students in 2001.

The department source said the ministry had analysed the primary-level curricula in 2004 and is now applying the modified curricula at all schools in 237 townships throughout the country.

“The ministry will provide more training for teachers on the modified primary-level curricula, distribute new textbooks and try to cover all remaining schools throughout the country,” the source said.