Update on the Life Skills programme
As part of a programme run by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MJS), with support from UNICEF, we are providing technical and methodological support to update the Life Skills programme for young people and adolescents, whether they are in school or not.
Our intervention is part of an institutional collaboration approach aimed at strengthening the quality, consistency and impact of the programme in light of the realities experienced by children and young people.
This support focuses on updating content, adapting teaching approaches and improving facilitation tools in order to better meet the needs and realities of young people across the country.
Context of Life Skills Development in Madagascar
In Madagascar, young people and adolescents grow up in an environment marked by significant social, economic and educational vulnerabilities. They face multiple and interconnected challenges: exposure to drugs and addictive behaviours, lack of civic awareness and social norms, early marriage and pregnancy, school dropout, and limited prospects for employment and socio-professional integration. These challenges affect both young people in and out of school, reinforcing situations of vulnerability and exclusion. In this context, Life Skills programmes are an essential lever for supporting young people in developing the skills they need to cope with these realities, make informed choices and build their future.
Our interest, consistent with our mission and vision
Our support for updating the Life Skills programme is fully consistent with our mission to promote inclusive, holistic education focused on the overall development of children and young people.
It reflects our vision of an education system that prepares young people not only to succeed in their academic careers, but also to strengthen their independence, critical thinking and civic engagement. By investing in this update, we are choosing a dynamic educational approach that can adapt to social change and emerging needs.
Our contribution to the education and social system in Madagascar
Through our support for the Life Skills programme, our contribution is reflected in:
- the adaptation and structuring of educational content that is more relevant to the realities of young people and communities
- strengthening key skills in young people, such as decision-making, managing emotions, communication and critical thinking;
- the provision of a structured but flexible programme that can be used in schools as well as in community and youth centres;
- the production of useful references and lessons learned for the continuous improvement and scaling up of the programme.
This initiative goes beyond simply revising a programme. It is part of a broader ambition: to work alongside the MJS and UNICEF to equip young Madagascans to face the challenges of their daily lives, strengthen their civic participation and improve their future prospects, while ultimately supporting the scaling up of Life Skills approaches at the national level.
1
Programme
national affecting approximately
14
Millions
young people under the age of 18