SUBJECT COMBINATION/CHOICES AND OCCUPATIONAL RELEVANCE
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
In any contemporary society, the heart of the long process of preparing young people for life and work is centered in the educational system (Gesinde (1977)). But it has been observed that in Nigeria generally parental influence and vicarious experiences within one’s community in general contributes much to this preparatory process. Though the traditional Nigerian society had the problem of building the youth up, yet most adolescents just pick career based on mere likeness for such jobs simply because it entails the wearing of a uniform or otherwise or may be because their parents or a significant other in their lives are involved in such career.
They forget the fact that such jobs might have some basic subject requirement. It has been noted with sadness that most secondary school graduates do come up with the problem of course selection in higher institutions owing to lack of guidance in the selection of subjects at the secondary level. When students have faulty selection, there will be the problem of subject selection for jobs. This category of students ends up doing the jobs that are not in the least related to their interest or aptitude.
Undoubtedly, making choices of subject from array of options in senior class is herculean task to the students requiring the mentorship of counsellor. It is one of the many important choices students will make in determining their future plans and this decision will impact them throughout their lives. The choice determines satisfaction one expects to get from his work and the opportunities he has for promotion and advancement. Individual social status, income, life style, choice of friends, mental and physical health is influenced by the type of work he or she does. In other words a person’s vocational choice or preference plays an important role in his entire life. It has been observed by researchers that most student have insufficient information about different jobs, courses of study and other activities. They are thus unable to judge whether their choices are reasonable. Without detailed and adequate information about occupations, students many jump blindly into jobs to become frustrated and unhappy later in life and perhaps at such times when a retreat would no longer be easy or possible (Omeje, 2007). In their task of career guidance, Mabunda (2002) stated that subject combination can influence future career choices thus parent and peers might be forced to compel their adolescents friends to choose career to please them or their clique this would have an adverse impact on the occupational relevance.
1.2 Statement of the problem
The purpose of education is said to be attained when students are given the liberty to choose subjects which reflect their ability, capability and interest. In education, whether formal or informal, the success of every student depends on the subjects or skills he chooses to offer. Human reasoning, hopes, aspirations, attitude and values are thus generally known to depend largely on the choice one makes. The degree of importance this variable (choice of subjects) hold on contemporary educational system, has motivated scholars to carry in-depth studies, on how to make secondary school students make choice of subjects to offer without the influence of external variables (Hewitt, 2010).
Despite the fact that students choose subjects at the beginning of their senior secondary school classes, majority of them drop those subjects in their last year for others because of their future aspiration. This is not a healthy development, rather, it is evidence of the shortfall in attainment of the goal and objectives of Nigerian education as enshrined in the National Policy on Education (FRN, 2014). Barile (2015) asked the following questions. Have you ever wondered why some individuals earn a professional degree while others drop-out of high school? Or do you ever think about why some individuals strive to be presidents of large corporations while others seem destined and satisfied to be in a minimum wage, manual labour job? Hence many students (children) go to school without knowing what they are supposed to do, and leave school without any idea of what type of jobs or careers they should follow. Therefore setting career goals at an early age might just be the answers to these questions and the need to help young people and students (children) to know themselves, i.e. their abilities, interest, personalities, values and beliefs and potentials becomes imperative which necessitated the research to examine subject combination/choices and occupational relevance.1.3 Objective of the study
The broad objective of the study is to examine subject combination/choices and occupational relevance. The study will further discuss the following precise goals:
1. To ascertain whether student are aware subject combination they are to offer regarding their career aspiration.
2. To determine if peer and parent influences students subject combination and career choices.
3. To establish if sex and gender influences students subject combination and career choices.
4. To examine if student subject combination/choice would have any impact on occupational relevance
1.4 Research Question
To meet the above stated objective, the following research question were coined to guide the study:
1. Are student often aware of subject combination they are to offer regarding their career aspiration?
2. Does peer pressure and parent flare influences students subject combination and career choices?
3. Does sex and gender influences students subject combination and career choices?
4. Does student subject combination/choice have an impact on occupational relevance?
1.5 Research Hypothesis
HO1: Student subject combination/choice does not have any impact on occupational relevance
HO2: Is there any difference between the subject choices of both male and female students..
1.6 Significance of the study
The findings of the study will be useful to students, teachers, parents, government and guidance counselors.This study will specifically be of importance to students in making adequate choice of a life career.it will provide an awareness about fringe benefits, advancement/improvement opportunities which the adolescents required for effective and realistic career decision.Findings of this study will help the teachers create class projects that require students to research a selected occupation and apply the course content to that particular occupation. This will enable the teachers to sort and place students according to their subject inclinations and occupational class. This will provide better orientation, facilitate learning and growth, and enhance career decision than multiple interest groups. Moreover, the findings of this study will be of immense benefit to parents. It will help to guide and counsel parents on matters relating to the choice of vocation for their children and wards. The study will serve as a reference material for student and researchers who seeks to conduct further research on related field of study
1.7 Scope of the study
The scope of this study borders on subject combination/choices and occupational relevance. The study investigated the relevance of subject selection of school going adolescents in relation to their career aspiration. It was aimed at examining the influence of age and sex on career choice. The study is however delimited to Anambra State.
1.8 Limitation of the study
During the course of this research, the following factors are proposed to be a limitation.
Financial constraints: Financial constraints tend to impede the researcher's efficiency in locating relevant materials, literature, or information, as well as in data collection (internet, questionnaire, and interview).
Time constraint– The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. As a result, the amount of time spent on research is reduced.
