ABSTRACT
Vocational/technical
education ought to attract many students because of its laudable importance but
reverse has been the case. The reason for this, probably, is due to significant
others’ perception that it does not require specialized kind of training. This
descriptive study investigated perceived relevance of vocational subjects to
learners’ career development among parents of secondary school students.
A 10-item questionnaire
investigating parents’ perception of the relevance of vocational subjects was
adopted and administered to 200 parents that were randomly selected from public
senior secondary schools within Ikeja area of Lagos State. Data analysis was
done using simple percentage statistics.
Findings from the study reveal
parents’ perception that vocational education is an important aspect of education process
but such education limits education progress and career development; that
the perceived relevance of vocational subjects is an influence on students’
choice of career; and that there is no significant gender difference on the
perceived relevance of vocational subjects.
The study further recommends
that government at all levels should provide
more encouragements in the form of facilities, facilitators, skilled artisans
and motivations to stimulate participation in vocational subjects; help
artisans in exporting their products and services as a way of showcasing the
benefits of vocational subjects; Guidance Counsellors should organise career
counselling on the importance of vocational subjects for students on the
relevance of vocational subjects to future career fulfilment; and that more public
enlightenment programmes should be embarked upon by agencies such as The National
Orientation Agency and Non-Governmental Organisations on the importance of
vocational/technical subjects to national development.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract v
Table of Contents vi
List of Tables viii
CHAPTER ONE:
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
to the study 1
1.2 Statement
of the problem 5
1.3 Purpose of the Study 5
1.4 Research
Questions 6
1.5 Significance of the Study 6
1.6 Delimitation of the Study 7
1.7 Operational
definition of terms 7
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Theoretical
Review 8
2.1 Vocational
education/subjects 9
2.1.1 The
aims of vocational and technical education 11
2.2 concepts of career
2.2.1 Career
developmental theory 11
2.2.2 Parents’
perception and career education 14
2.2.3 Parental role in children career decision 16
2.2.4 Parental Expectations 18
2.2.5 Parent-Child Interactions 18
Empirical review 19
CHAPTER
THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1
Research Design 25
3.2 Population
of the study 25
3.3
Sample and sampling technique 25
3.4
Instrumentation 26
3.5
Procedure of questionnaire
administration 27
3.6
Method of Data Analysis 27
CHAPTER
FOUR: RESULTS
4.1 Data presentation 28
4.1.1 Research Question 1 28
4.1.2 Research Question 2 30
4.1.3 Research
Question 3 31
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY,
CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary 34
5.2 Conclusion 35
5.3
Recommendations 35
References 36
Appendix 45
LIST
OF TABLES
Table 4.1: Showing
parents’ responses on perceived relevance of
vocational subjects 29
Table
4.2: Showing influence of parents’
perceived relevance of
vocational
subjects. 30
Table
4.3: Showing gender difference of parents’ perceived relevance
of
vocational subjects 32
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the
study
Vocational and technical education is
among the vital tools an individual can use to be developed. It is training for
useful employment in trade, industries, agriculture, business and home making
etc. The emphasis on Vocational/ Technical education is to prepare one for self
reliance.
The Federal Government of Nigeria wants
vocational/technical education to occupy a prominent position in our secondary
schools. Meanwhile, Nigerian schools pay little or no attention to
vocational/technical subjects. Teachers, parents and students seem not to understand
what it is all about and consequently, develop some contempt and aversion for
the subjects. As such, student attitude towards vocational/technical subjects
remain unhealthy. Many of the related occupations and trades are regarded as
ignoble and unbecoming. An average Nigerian parent does not want his son to
earn a living as a full time farmer, a watch-repairer, a plumber, a house
painter. For many Nigerians, these jobs are for the poor and underprivileged.
Typically, higher occupational status of the
students’ parents influences positive attitude of students towards science
(Padunny, 1994). This is to say that higher occupational parents would want
their children to be doctors, engineers etc without considering if the child
would actually read science subject to achieve that. The influence of parents
in the development of student’s interest in vocational/technical subjects
cannot be over emphasized as this is because parents seem to have much
influence on children’s choice of educational career.
The socio-economic status of parent of a
child determines the type of career one choose to do, some parents have biased
and rigid thoughts regarding the occupational choices of a child/children. Parents
forgot that every type of work, once it is beneficial to the individual and
society, is worthy and noble (Nwankwo, 1996).
Individuals from the earliest
of their life often come across with the question what they want to be when
they grow up. Early vocational developmental theorists explicitly have affirmed
that childhood is a vital formative period for vocational development (Ginzberg
et al., 1951; Havighurst, 1972; Roe, 1956). Studies have shown that a number of
factors are associated with children's vocational choice development. Among
them are parents, the favourite academic subject, social environment and
planned or unplanned vocational guidance activities at schools.
Children's
vocational aspiration development starts as early as at pre-school years. In
those early years, parents play a critical role in motivating and encouraging
their children to explore about various vocations (Seligman et al., 1988).
In
their study, found that children tend to acquire more information about their
parents’ vocation if their parents have a positive attitude towards it. Another
way that parents influence children's vocational aspiration , as found in a
study by Helwig (1998), is that parents somehow express their expectations from
their children about which vocation they (children) should have and children
pursue their vocational aspiration to meet their parents’ expectations.
Parents’ gender is also another influential factor in children’s vocational
aspirations. Trice and Knapp (1992) found that children have learned more about
their mothers’ vocation than about fathers' vocation.
Making
the right career choice that would keep adolescents relevant in the scheme of
things in an emerging economy like Nigeria could be daunting and difficult.
Nigerian adolescents in secondary schools are often preoccupied with very many
thoughts of future career prospects. This, more often than not, often
predispose these adolescents to irrational thoughts. Such irrational thoughts
could be debilitating to the society and psychological well-being of
adolescents. Transition from secondary school to workplace, college or
university is a critical path through which every adolescent must pass through
(Cassie, 2005). However, it is not uncommon to aver that many of these
adolescents are left unguarded while transiting from college to workplace.
Most
often, parents, teachers, and friends have encouraged secondary school students
to proceed to the university while a good number of secondary school students
may end up attending universities without knowing why or what they intend to
study. For many, this is an important time for career-related matters that will
be beneficial to them. As they face the need to choose an academic major, as
well as to develop career goals for the future, career problems often become a
developmental phase they must pass through in making proper career choices for
life.
Several
studies have been conducted on adjustment difficulties adolescents face in
relation to career and planning. (Hiebert, Collins & Robinson 2001;
Magnusson & Bernes, 2001; Pyne & Bernes, 2002; Pyne, Bernes, Magnusson
& Poulsen, 2002; Bardick, Bernes, Magnussson & Witko, 2004).
Adolescents have received a lot of attention because it is at this stage of
life that individuals first begin to prepare and eventually train themselves
for a future career in order to become independent adults.
Career
development process should start at an early age. Learning about different
careers early could enable students have a better understanding of types of
jobs they would want to explore in the future. Career process may start
formally as early as primary school and could continue throughout secondary
school because of many uncertainties especially in an unstable economy like
ours. Career uncertainty among secondary school students remains a constant
challenge in the entire globe. According to Rosenbaum (2001), in a national
survey in the United State of America, nearly all high school seniors (95%)
plan to attend college. A study indicated that approximately 20 per cent of
students who attend four year college are undecided as freshmen (Hayes, 1997).
This transition from thoughts which are not only theoretically relevant to
career planning, but also practical in their application (Peterson, Sampson
& Reardon, 1991). Classes in career development usually have
self-exploration and reflection built into their design and could contribute to
developing self-confidence in students
Career
development training has been observed to have positive effect on students in
general (Folsom & Reardon, 2000; Whiston, Sexton & Lasoff, 1998).
Career development therapy had resulted in reduction of negative traits,
including career indecision (Johnson, Nichols, Buboltz & Riedesel, 2002;
Peng, 2001), irrational career thoughts (Reed, Reardon, Lenz & Leierer,
2001), as well as increases in positive traits such as career decidedness
(Johnson, Nichols, Buboltz & Riedesel 2002). In addition, Folsom, Peterson,
Reardon and Mann (2002) observed that students who completed an undergraduate
career planning course had higher graduation rates when compared to the general
student population (81% compared with 69%) and graduated with fewer credit
hours on average than the general population (110 compared with 132).
People’s
perception about themselves and their career choice affect their ability to
make decisions. Sampson et al. (1996) suggested that cognitive reframe may be
one intervention counsellors can use to assist clients in combating irrational
career thoughts. Most adolescents are unaware of the biases, misinformation,
and distorted beliefs that they are given by parents which they consequently bring
to career choice and that these presuppositions can lead to self-defeating and
disabling experiences (Krumboltz, 1983). Elliott (1995) noted that negative
self-statements can impair a client’s ability to utilise occupational
information, lead to career indecision, and inappropriate choices. It is not surprising that students are not
interested in vocational/technical subjects. Osuala (1992) opined that, at the
heart of our society and economic problem is a national attitude that implies
that vocational/technical subjects are designed for somebody else’s children
and is meant primarily for the children of the poor. This same attitude is
shared by students. Thus, it makes the students lack interest in the study of
vocational subjects.
1.2 Statement of the
problem
Vocational/Technical education subjects
ought to attract many students because of its laudable importance but reverse
has been the case. The reason for this probably is due to people’s perception
that it does not require specialized kind of training. The students have the
feeling that even if one is at home at the requite skills needs to learn have
to cook, farm; etc can be acquired without formal training. People are ignorant
of the importance of the vocational subjects which could help males and female
students receive formation and are able to work solution to problems. Also, it
enables the students to acquire skills, abilities essential for independent
life met up with personal and family needs more especially in this economic
difficulties.
The
positive effect of career development has been consistently demonstrated in
foreign countries as related in the studies cited above. In Nigeria, these have
not been sufficiently done. Therefore, there is the need to investigate if those
parental perceptions about vocational subjects will be useful so as to
inculcate and curriculum to help these students make the appropriate career
choice as they transit from childhood to adolescence and finally to adulthood.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The primary focus of this study was to
investigate parent perceptions about vocational subjects.
The study also sought to find out if the
perceived relevance of vocational subjects is in relation to the students’
aspirations.
1.4 Research Questions
To guide the study, the following four research questions were presented:
1.
What is the
perceived relevance of vocational subjects among parents of secondary school students?
2.
Does the perceived
relevance of vocational subjects by parents influence the students’ choice of
careers?
3.
Is there any
significant difference between male and female parents perceived
relevance of vocational subjects?
1.5 Significance of the Study
Many
factors affect career choices of high school students. Identifying these
factors would give parents, educators, and industry an idea or insight on the
influence of home on the career selection process of secondary school students.
This will also reveal where students place most of their trust in the career
selection process. It would also allow students to examine processes they use
for career selection.
The study
provides valuable information on the influence of parents’ perceptions as
factors on the choice of career among secondary school students. Again, it serves
as a resource material for others who want to carry out researches in emerging
areas in the influence of environmental factors among secondary school
students.
The study
will provoke further research into the need to help parents develop appropriate
perception and understanding of the importance of vocational subjects in
relation to their various aspirations. This invariably provides information to
Guidance counsellors on how to orientate secondary school students and their
parents on the need to show interest in vocational subjects as introduced in
Nigerian secondary schools.
1.6 Delimitation of the Study
The study
is concerned with investigating parents’ perceptions on the relevance of
vocational subjects in the choice of careers among secondary school students. It
is aimed at all senior secondary school students in Ikeja Local Government of
Lagos state.
1.7 Operational
definition of terms
Vocational education includes subjects,
courses and programmes at various educational levels for selected careers in an
occupational area.
Career Development: is a process of helping children to
discover and develop their careers through life stages.
Career Decision: is the process of choosing a particular
career or occupation
Parents’ perception: refers to the opinions
of parents in relation to career choices.
Parental
involvements:
refer to the participation of parents in their children’s education
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