The Perceived Level of Soft Skills Among SHS ABM Students from MSU-IIT Integrated Developmental School

Irene Jessa A. Dumaplin-Paulin et al.

In contemporary academic settings, the development of soft skills is widely recognized as a critical contributor to student performance, employability, and college readiness in response to the competency demands of the 21st-century workforce. Despite this growing emphasis, empirical evidence on soft skills development among senior high school students in the Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM) strand remains limited, particularly in the context of the Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology Integrated Developmental School. This mixed-methods study examined the perceived level of soft skills of Grade 11 and Grade 12 ABM students across personal, social, and methodological domains using descriptive statistics and the Mann–Whitney U test, complemented by thematic analysis of faculty interviews. The results revealed variations in proficiency between grade levels and clear discrepancies between student self-ratings and teacher perceptions. Although students generally reported being proficient across all domains, teachers identified key areas requiring reinforcement, particularly analytical and problem-solving skills, communication skills, and emotional regulation. The findings underscore the need for a more intentional and systematic integration of soft skills development within the ABM curriculum through project-based learning, structured reflective activities, and leadership-oriented tasks, supported by a structured system of assessment and feedback. Moreover, this study contributes to the education and employability agenda of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), by strengthening transferable competencies that enhance learners’ readiness for higher education and meaningful participation in the future workforce.