ABSTRACT
An exploration of parents critical
role in their children‘s career choices and aspirations was the primary focus
of this paper. This study was carried out to identify parental influence on the
child's learning and his future life endeavour. A population of 200 students
drawn from five Secondary Schools in Shomolu Local Government Area of Lagos
State was randomly selected for this study. To each student, a questionnaire
was administered and answers offered were collated and analysed. The results
obtained from the study showed that, illiterate parents have little or no time
for their children's education. Children
from educated homes show more interest in education but lack motivation from
their parents. While others, their
parents force them to learn what they [parents] want them to learn or study.
However, it was also found out that only few students are interested in their
parent's occupation. More so, discoveries from the study reveal that illiterate
parents have no interest in their children’s academic growth and as such they
hardly influence the choice of career among their children. Furthermore, there
is no significant difference between children from educated homes who show
interest in education even when the necessary motivation is given and those
whose parents are illiterate. This is
due to the fact that a considerable number of children live without parental
support, as in orphans, children living in the streets and displaced who on
account of the poverty of their parents are subjected to inhuman and sadistic
ordeals. This reduces their desire to
learn as it happens frequently in Shomolu Local Government Area of Lagos State.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title Page
Certification------------------------------------------------------------------- ii
Dedication--------------------------------------------------------------------- iii
Acknowledgement------------------------------------------------------------ iv
Abstract------------------------------------------------------------------------- vi
Table
of contents--------------------------------------------------------------- vii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
to the Study---------------------------------------------------- 1
1.2 Statement
of Problem-------------------------------------------------------- 3
1.3 Objectives
of the Study------------------------------------------------------ 3
1.4 Research
Questions----------------------------------------------------------- 4
1.5 Research
Hypothesis--------------------------------------------------------- 4
1.6 Significance
of the Study---------------------------------------------------- 5
1.7 Scope
of the Study------------------------------------------------------------ 5
1.8 Definition
of Terms----------------------------------------------------------- 6
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE
REVIEW
2.1 Introduction------------------------------------------------------------------- 7
2.2
Theoretical Framework------------------------------------------------------ 10
2.3
Parents’ attitude and influence towards career choice------------------ 18
2.4
Parents’ level of formal education on career choice of students------ 22
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH
METHOD
1.0
Introduction------------------------------------------------------------------ 28
3.1
Research Design-------------------------------------------------------------- 28
3.2
Population of Study---------------------------------------------------------- 28
3.3
Sample and Sampling Technique------------------------------------------- 29
3.4
Data Collection Instrument-------------------------------------------------- 30
3.5
Method of Data Analysis----------------------------------------------------- 31
3.6
Validity and Reliability of Instrument-------------------------------------- 31
3.7
Administration of Instrument------------------------------------------------ 32
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF
FINDINGS
4.1
Introduction---------------------------------------------------------------------- 33
4.2
Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents-------------------------- 33
4.3
Analysis of the Research Questions------------------------------------------ 34
4.4
Hypothesis Testing-------------------------------------------------------------- 40
4.5
Discussion of Findings--------------------------------------------------------- 44
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY,
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1
Summary------------------------------------------------------------------------- 46
5.2
Conclusion----------------------------------------------------------------------- 46
5.3
Recommendation--------------------------------------------------------------- 47
REFERENCES-------------------------------------------------------------------- 49
APPENDIX-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 51
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background
to the study
Career plays a very fundamental and significant role
in the life of the individual not only because it determines the pattern of
income but also because it affects the individual’s personality and concepts in
life. Career therefore is a chosen pursuit, life work or success in one's
profession occupied by a person throughout his/her lifetime. In a nutshell, career is the totality of work
one does in his life time and it is person centred. It is of utmost importance
to every individual as he or she prepares for the future.
Career choice is something very hard to decide,
especially as one’s life depend on it. Her (2003) indicated that, career is the
totality of experience through which one learns about and prepares to engage in
work as part of one’s way of living. Splete (12001) Stresses that career is an
enjoying process that occurs over life span and includes homes, schools and
community. Every human being needs to do one job or the other to help
contribute his quote to the development of the country. Ipaye (2000) refers to
the need for one to discuss with one's peers, school counsellors, parents and
teachers on the need to choose a life span work at “career convention” or
“career conference”.
The
problem of career choice has implications for national development. In every
society, the quality of workers as well as their degree of job satisfaction
contributes directly or indirectly to economic stability and the smooth running
of the affairs of the nation. If workers are unable to derive satisfaction from
their jobs, frustration sets in with accompanying decline in productivity and
civil unrest due to the workers thwarted goals. Occupation according to
Onyejiaku (1987) is a way of life. It moulds one’s character, determines one’s
social status, income, style of life, choice of friends and mental and physical
health (Denga, 1968). This implies that the choice of occupation has a
persuasive connection with one’s entire way of life. Generally, it is believed
that the primary motive behind the pursuit of various occupations is the
fundamental human need to ‘make ends meet’ or to satisfy needs. While this has
some truth in it, the contemporary society with its dynamic and sophisticated
social and economic systems have taken the problem of occupational choice a
step or two further by making it both complex and intriguing.
On the other hand, many
are the variables that operate to decide which occupation an individual
chooses. Practically, every effort put forth to decide an occupation translates
in the light of significant factors, in an effort to limit oneself from
entering into a wide array of careers. In other words, occupational choices
made imply foregoing several alternatives. A number of these factors tend to
impact more strongly than others. A universal hierarchy of these factors in
order of extent of influence eludes us because at least, no two individuals are
the same. What may significantly influence the occupational preference of one
person may have less significance for another. However, while it is difficult
to determine the relative potency of these variables is that there is some form
of interaction among them where one modifies the other. While some of these
variables are psychologically and biologically rooted, others have
socio-economic undertones. Still, it is not uncommon for individuals to get
into an occupation by accident or by chance (Onyejiaku, 2001).
1.2
Statement of the Problem
Career
choice tends to be a persistent problem for students in the contemporary
society. That is why it is not uncommon for students to get into occupations
that are not quite suitable to their abilities. Parental background on the
other hand tends to be the single most influential factor in students career
choice. More often than not, parents owing to personal idiosyncrasies, pressure
their wards into taking up family occupations and other careers even when they
do not possess requisite abilities. What is usually obtainable at the end are
job dissatisfaction, underperformance if not complete malfunction, frustration
and inefficiency all of which translate in the long run to national economic
crisis. Therefore, this study investigates parental influence on the choice of
career among secondary school students in Somolu Local Government Area of Lagos
State.
1.3
Objectives of the Study
The
objective of the study is to find out the extent to which parental background
variables influence the career choice of secondary school students in Shomolu local
government area of Lagos State. Specifically, the study aims at finding out
whether:
1.
Parental attitude towards occupation influences
the career choice of secondary school students.
2.
Parents’ level of formal education
influences the career choice of students.
3.
Parents’ occupation influences the career
choice of students.
4.
School type influences the career choice
of students.
1.4 Research
Questions
The
research questions are as follows:
1.
Is there any relationship between parental
attitude towards certain professions and career choice among secondary school
students?
2.
Is there any relationship between parents’
level of formal education and career choice of students?
3.
Is there any relationship between parents’
occupation and career choice of students?
4.
Is there any relationship between school
type and career choice of students?
1.5
Research Hypotheses
The following
hypotheses were formulated to guide the research:
Ho: Parents’ attitude towards occupations does
not significantly influence the career choice of secondary school students.
Ho: Parents’ levels of formal education do not
significantly influence the career choice of students.
Ho: Parents’ occupations do not significantly
influence the career choice of students.
Ho: School type does not significantly influence
the career choice of
students.
1.6
Significance of the Study
The
dynamic and sophisticated socio-economic system of the contemporary society
with accompanying innovations in science and technology present a wide array of
occupations for our youths to choose from. However, several factors operate to
make a realistic choice in this respect somewhat difficult. Prominent among
these factors are parental background variables namely: attitudes towards
occupations, level of formal education, and the type of occupation they are
into.
This
study is significant in that it would expose the influence of these variables
on the career choice of secondary school students whereby students could be
helped to make realistic occupational choices. Furthermore, from the findings
of this study parents would, through PTAs (Parents-Teachers Associations), be
dissuaded from compelling their children into taking up occupations that are
not at par with their personal characteristics and abilities.
1.7 Scope
of the study
The research study is limited to parental influence on
the choice of career among senior secondary school students in Shomolu Local
Government Area of Lagos State. This research work will cover five randomly
selected secondary schools within the said Local Government Area. Three public
and two private secondary schools. Findings from the study is limited to senior
secondary students within the selected Local Government Area.
1.8 Operational
Definition of terms
-
Career -
A chosen pursuit or course of business activity or enterprise, especially one's
professional life or employment that offers advancement and honour.
-
Influence
-
The power of acts by which parents or a person has to control the desire of
another.
-
Choice:
An act of choosing between two or more possibilities. The right to choose or
the possibility of choosing.
-
Factors:
One of several things that cause or influence something or somebody to include
as particular fact or situation when you are thinking about or planning
something.
-
Effective:
Producing
or capable of producing an intended result or having a striking effect.
-
Counselling:
This
is the process where a troubled or a confused person is helped by a
professional to solve his problem and to make better adjustment to his society.
-
Guidance:
This is the process of helping the student to understanding himself and his
environment in other to develop self effectiveness.
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