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The challenge of overload is linked to the failure to understand the complexities in introducing these skills alongside existing delivery of necessary academic and technical content.

In some school settings, the shift towards learning outcomes linked to core skills has led to an excessive downgrading of the centrality of knowledge content.

There is a danger that the logic of learner-centered acquisition of core skills leads to a weakening of the crucial role played by instructor modeling of appropriate techniques and behaviours.

Most existing systems for measuring such skills or competencies have proved highly complex, bureaucratic and expensive.

The need for functioning systems of recognition and accreditation of prior learning if the full range of such skills is to be acknowledged.

Some of the evidence on attempts to develop life skills points to the serious problems in attempting such interventions where there is an underdeveloped democratic culture of learning and teaching.

Experiences frequently suggest that programs built around such skills are highly resource intensive. This is in terms of both teaching and learning materials and the involvement of highly skilled teachers. This points to serious difficulties in rolling out such programs nationally in poorer countries.

Such programs cannot succeed without adequate educator involvement.

Too many programs have been implemented without adequate preparation of educators through properly resourced programs of pre- and in-service training.