A new study has shown that only two percent of Ugandan adolescents have the ability to solve some of their daily life problems.
The Uganda study targeted a total of 11,074 adolescents aged 13-17 years, from 7,815 households across 400 enumeration areas in 20 districts, was conducted by Assessment of Life Skills and Values (ALiVE), an initiative of the Regional Education Learning Initiative (RELI).
Similar studies have been conducted in Kenya and Tanzania.
The assessment was conducted by 734 volunteers, 66 teacher trainees, 20 district coordinators, and 40 village coordinators, with support from the local leaders, and the ALiVE team.
“Most (53%) of the adolescents are able to recognise the existence of a problem from one perspective and act on that to identify a possible solution. They are, however, at the highest level of the skill, unable to identify multiple approaches to solving a problem.”
The assessment, the largest in life skills assessment in Uganda, was also carried out in the other two East African countries of Kenya and Tanzania.
In addition to problem-solving, it targeted two other life skills of collaboration, self-awareness and one value of respect.
Ugandans have for long been known to be among the most respectful people in the region. However, in the study; overall, only 9% of Ugandan adolescents express high respect for others.
“Whereas 48% of the adolescents were able to interpret bad behaviour as a lack of respect for others and may take conciliatory steps to resolve situations, only 9% was able to act respectfully in defense of others and self”.
According to the ALiVE assessment tool, respect goes beyond only interpreting bad behaviour and looks at respect to self, others and property.
Sheema district in western Uganda demonstrated the highest level of self-awareness among adolescents while Kyegegwa posted the lowest rate at 0.0 percent.
The research provides interesting findings on the aspect of self-awareness.
Children’s ability to appreciate their situation and that of their parents to understand why certain things can’t be provided when they want them.
“50 percent of the adolescents surveyed were able to regulate their emotions but remain unaware of the multiple ways in which others perceive and react to situations,” notes the report.