APSHF hosts series of life skills sessions for secondary students |01 August 2022

The students during Thursday’s session at the Petit Seminaire

Secondary students from different schools on Mahé have followed and benefitted from life skills sessions on the importance of making good choices and good decisions in life.

The sessions were organised by the Association for the Promotion of Solid and Humane Families (APSHF).

Two seasoned trainers in family values and life skills – chief executive of the APSHF Rosy Denis and former teacher Sheila Pool – led the sessions.

The sessions were held regionally at Anse Royale, Pointe Larue , Mont Fleuri and at the Petit Seminaire for students from Belonie and Beau Vallon.

Catching up with the trainers and students during the session held at Petit Seminaire last Thursday , it was obvious that the students were really eager to know more about the topic. Different interactive group activities related to the topic had been organised and the students actively shared their views and gave their opinions.

Alirah Adrienne, an S2 student from Belonie, said the session was really informative and will prompt them as young people to really think carefully and wisely about many things related to their education, career and future.

“I have been really impressed by the discussions and ideas that came out and it was an opportunity for me to learn many more things and how to seriously think and to be firm when making choices and decisions in life because they could have a great impact on your life,” Alirah said .

For Rishon Bastienne, an S4 student from Beau Vallon school, he said the session came at an opportune time when he is in the process of making decisions and choices for his future studies.

“I am really grateful for the opportunity and it allowed me to properly reflect on many things related to making choices. It is not easy sometimes but the session would make me think more before I decide. It was really interesting,” he said.

Speaking to Mrs Pool after the session, she said that through an evaluation form the students all stated that they have learnt many new things that would from now on help them to reflect more on different aspects before they make choices and decisions in their lives and their studies.

“We are really happy with the students’ engagement and participation and we are also very happy that some career teachers also attended the session. At a time when teenagers are faced with a lot of social challenges and temptations, it is always good to boost their understanding of different aspects of life so they are resilient and can resist bad influences and temptations and can choose what is good for them and their future,” Mrs Pool said.

She added that there is a great need to increase such life skills sessions to better prepare our students and armed them with all they need to face life with all its challenges.  

The sessions were sponsored and supported by the Women’s Trust Fund.

The APSHF expresses its heartfelt gratitude to the different schools for their cooperation by allowing their students to take part in the half-day sessions.

Text and photo by Marie-Anne Lepathy