Challenges and Prospects of Career Choice amongst Senior Secondary Three (SSIII) Students in Obot Akara Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State

Abstract

This study seeks to explore career choices, challenges and prospects amongst SSIII students in Comprehensive Secondary School Ntoedino, Methodist Secondary School Ntodang and FIDA Secondary School, Ntonguno, all in Obot Akara Local Government Area. Survey research design was adopted for the study. The study population comprised of students from the above named school. A sample size of 150 students was gotten through simple random sampling technique, and data were analysed using simple percentage. Findings from the study revealed that, right career choice is influenced by role models like teachers, parents, educators and guardians as 86% of the study respondents attested to this. It was also deduced that, the child alone, without the adult’s guidance/counseling cannot make the right career choice. On the effect of resources/finances on right career choice, 90% being majority agreed to the assertion that most of the poor parents who send their children to public schools, have no proper orientation and are unable to educate their children properly on right career choice; and so, majority accepted the fact that, poverty affects right career choice/course of study. From the analysis it was concluded that, there were a lot of lapses with regards to proper choice of career/course of study by students in senior classes in public schools. However, the study recommended that, proper orientation/sensitization must be done by families, teachers, educators, role models, exposed friends, counselors, parents and relatives. Even at that, children should be given free hands to make their choices based on innate potentialities and not imposing courses of study/career on them. Moreover, to help students from poor background, examination like NECO, WAEC, JAMB should be made free to students in public schools.