What are Soft Skills ?
- Vast research and expert opinions have been sought in the effort to determine the specific soft skills to be implemented and used in higher institutions of learning. Based on the research findings obtained, seven soft skills have been identified and chosen to be implemented in all institutions of higher learning here. They are:
i. Communicative skills.
ii.. Thinking skills and Problem solving skills.
iii. Team work force
iv. Life-long learning and Information Management v. Entrepreneur skill
vi. Ethics, moral and professionalism
vii. Leadership skills
- Each of the above soft skills comprised of several sub-skills. These sub-skills are divided into two categories of implementation. The first category delineates the soft skills that every individual must have and the second category represents soft skills that are good to have. Despite the emphasis being put on the soft skills that must be present (must have), it is also encouraged to inculcate the soft skills that are good to have. All elements of soft skills must be acquired by each individual student and evaluated effectively and comprehensively.
- The must have soft skills must be acquired by each and every individual in the institutions of higher learning without which, the student is regarded as incompetent in the above skill. The ?good to have? soft skills can be regarded as the additional generic skills and a bonus to the student. If these skills are acquired by the students together with the ?must have? soft skills.
- It can be observed that education is an essential tool for achieving sustainability. We all realized that the current economic development trends are not sustainable and that
- public awareness, education and training are the key elements to move our society towards sustainability. Only a quality future human capital can envision development of its nation to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Therefore, the inculcation of soft skills among the students will be two prongs, to produce quality human capital and to develop their knowledge, understanding, values and skills as well. How the two skills blend together will be discussed here.
Communicative Skills - The communicative skills involve effective comm unication in both the national language and English language in different contexts and with different people. There are eight sub-skills under communicative skills of which three are the must have skills and five are the good to have skills. Communicative skills are an integral part of any education system either in higher education or lower education. As mentioned earlier, in many countries, basic education or primary education is mandatory and it focuses on reading, writing and ciphering. People learn to read books, write letters, figure accounts and develop skills necessary to fulfill their expected roles in their households and community.
At this very level, emphasis has been given to develop the communicative skills of individual so that by the time they leave college, they are able to participate in public and community activities and decision making. What is found to be missing in the nations present human capital is the lack of communicative skills. The absence of good comm unicative skills somehow or rather has an influence on the poor presentation of their views and decisions made to gain others confidence and respect. Comm unicative skills have also been greatly emphasized in the reorientation of basic education for ESD (Education for sustainable development) which is: the ability to communicate effectively (both orally and in writing).
The communicative skill seemed to be one important component that lacks in the future human capital. The incompetence of the future graduates to master both languages will be a set-back to a lot of potential develo pment and advancement of the country. Thus, this is a good time to reorientate the curriculum of higher institutions to embed communicative skills.
