The role of career guidance in the promotion of the right to education

Abstract

This study aimed at assessing the role of career guidance in the promotion of the right to education focusing on Malangala Sub County in Mityana District as a case study. This study hinged on the notion that the centrality of career guidance in the furtherance of the right to education is not questionable. Career guidance helps individuals understand their own goals and aspirations, their own identity, helps them make informed decisions, commit to activities, and manage changes in their career whether they are planned or not. The study was guided by the following objectives; to find out how students and teachers perceive the significance of career guidance; to find out the mode of delivery of career guidance in secondary schools; to establish how the mode of delivery of career guidance relates to students’ realization of their full potential and; to explore challenges to the delivery of career guidance in schools. This was a case study design involving a detailed analysis of four secondary schools to establish the role of career guidance in the promotion of the right to education. The four targeted schools were; Mityana Standard, St. Ambrose, Kiwawu and Ireneos secondary schools. In this study, both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used and the researcher collected data from students, teachers, district education officer, parents, head teachers, career masters, sub county local government officials, civil society organizations, and community members. Students, teachers, district education officer, parents, head teachers and career masters were targeted as primary respondents. The researcher considered students as primary respondents since they are the primary beneficiaries of career guidance services and products. Teachers, district education officer, parents, head teachers and career masters were considered primary respondents given the fact that these respondents have and/or are meant to have a closer relationship with students and also given their obligations to give, supervise and/or promote career guidance in schools. This study established that both teachers and students appreciate the significance of career guidance in the students’ pursuit of their academic goals though most career guidance activities are still not mainstreamed into the teaching and learning process. Further, the study established the indispensable positive relationship between career guidance and the students’ realization of their full potential though most modes of career guidance in schools remain largely non-participatory Under chapter five, this study makes a number of recommendations to different stakeholders on how best to promote an enabling environment for giving and receiving career guidance. First, the MOES should integrate into the teacher training curriculum, aspects of and methodologies on career guidance, secondly schools should devise means of mainstreaming career guidance into the teaching and learning mandate of teachers, thirdly Schools should employ multi-stakeholder approach in the delivery of career guidance services and products. Fourthly, career guidance sessions should be a must for students at their schools especially from senior three to higher classes to enable the students maintain the desired focus Finally, the study proposes areas for further research in the aspect of career guidance How to effectively integrate career guidance into the routine teaching and learning practice among others in the furtherance of the right to education.