Gender-Responsive Principles Awareness and Factors Influencing Track Preferences toward Life Skills of Senior High School

This study sought to find the relationship between gender-responsive principles awareness and factors affecting track preference to the life skills of 144 randomly chosen Senior High School students from public secondary schools in San Pablo City using the correlational research design. Their perception was also described using a survey questionnaire. Results showed that the respondents generally agree with the indicators for gender-responsive principle awareness in terms of gender equality, gender equity, gender sensitivity, and non- discrimination. For factors affecting track preference, they agree with the indicators for personal interests, affordability, and employability but have taken a neutral perception of parents’ influence. They also agree on the indicators for decision–making and problem-solving, creative thinking and critical thinking, communication and interpersonal skills, self–awareness and empathy, and coping with emotions and stress for life skills. Significant relationships implying that there is a developed sense of gender-responsiveness principle and life skills among the student respondents were also noted. The same can be said for the perception of the students’ track preferences except for parents’ influences’ relationship to communication and interpersonal skills and self–awareness and empathy which were found to be insignificant. Therefore, students still need to develop their communication and interpersonal skills and self – awareness, and empathy.