CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Our
education system has been so fashioned by the former colonial rulers of this
nation to teach us the “Three Rs” namely; reading, writing and arithmetic and
added to these was religion. However, the curriculum then was meeting the need
that education was introduce to serve; that of producing educated Nigerians to
serve as teachers, evangelists or missionaries and to occupy clerical posts in
the then colonial administration and in the few existing private.
Companies (Alabi and Oyelade 1998).
However,
as the nation is now moving towards scientific and technological advancement,
we cannot deny the fact that more people are needed to work in the industries;
and the only way we can meet the required manpower is basically through
education.
Education
is universally recognized as a good investment hence nations spend large sum of
their annual budget to provide education for their citizens. It is common knowledge too that individuals
too differ in their levels academic attainment motivation and education needs.
For these reasons, a variety of educational provision is made with a view to
meeting various needs. In the Nigerian context, the Nation policy on education
(NPC, 1998) provides for an education structure that is meant to be both
academic and vocational courses in the junior and senior secondary schools
curricula.
The
policy also noted the need for ‘ensuring the acquisition of appropriate skills,
abilities and competencies both mental and physical as equipment for the
individual to live and contribute to the development of his society”.
Vocational education is viewed as the form of education whose primary purpose
is to prepare individuals for employment in recognized occupations (Oke, 2002).
Vocational education helps to train youth for employment in industries commerce
and other enterprises by exposing them to experience that provide them
manipulative, information and attitudinal skills. This types of education also trains adults who are
already employed, and whose skills may have become obsolete and requires either
an update of skill in this occupation or a re-training in other occupations. In
this context, the type of vocational education programmes made available to
youths and adult must be relevant to their needs and the needs of the
occupation.
Fafunwa
and Aisiku (1982) observed that the children are not free to choose the trade
of their own choice but are bound to follow the guidance of their parents, thus
preserving the family trades and occupations. It would be observe that this
educational practice is tailored to make individuals fit into his society as a
contributing member for a useful living. Career aspirations and subsequently,
Crystallized choices are often discussed in connection with the adolescent who
are seen as the potential member of the labor force. Scarcely do educator,
counselors and vocational psychologist in developing countries focus attention
on the preliminary vocational development of the child that leads to proper
career choice identification as an adolescent or young adult. If functional
education should work adequately, such as the present 6:3:3:4 educational
system in Nigeria
advocate, appropriate career orientation of the school child must be ensured
right from the beginning part of formal education. This concept of vocational
development approach lies at the bedrock of an individual’s interest stability,
early identification of ability. Areas of
giftedness and weaknesses.
Right
from time immemorial, parent have always influenced the vocational choice of
their children. In the pre-colonial era, parents made sure that their children;
especially the first male child was trained in the family vocation. This was
purely for the purpose of enhancing social and economic prospects or more
often, to secure protection or the glamour and popularity derivable from such
vocation. In fact, the choice of a vocation in principle has depended largely
on what the individual intends to gain from it materially or other wise.
The
introduction of formal education did not change very much the position of
things. The family is still a major influence in the vocational choice of the
student. Parents in most cases without due consideration of their interests,
aptitude and abilities or the manpower need of the nation. Choice of future
vocation is very important. It is on this base that Idiaghe (2000) said that
the period of adolescence which is from the age of 12-18 years and to which the
secondary school students belong is characterized by the problem of deciding on
a future occupation. Involved in this choice is decision on a future. This is
why Edward de bone (1969) said “as soon as a youngster leaves school, he/she
has to deal with the future in respect of plans, decision, choice and imitative
that are going to take place. In line with this, Idighe (2000) advised that
such choice if wrongly made would close doors and confine future career
decision within narrow limits.
Occupational
selection is of critical importance in the lives of young people. It influences
almost every aspect of a persons life. It can change individual valves, ideas
and standard. It involves decision making and interpersonal influence.
Sometimes, interpersonal relationship may not be rewarding.
It
is an accepted phenomenon that parents are interested in the future welfare of
their children. Parents guide the line of thoughts of their children right from
early age of their lives by inculcating into them certain social values so they
could mature into a social being participating in the social roles of the
society. The effort on the part of the parents has far reaching effects on the
child personal life. They decide on the type of schools they want their
children to attend because the quality
of the school and aspiration of the children and their opportunities for
employment and subsequently, the roles they play in the society.
Parents
in Nigeria
influence their children’s choice of career without considering other factors
that are relevant to the choice of career. Some parents even consider their
children as misfits when they do not pursue the career of their choice. Parents
in particular, prefer occupations that are known to have high prestige valves
for their children. Although parental influence on occupational choice is quite
popular, some secondary school students make occupational choices, which by
chance happen to correspond with that which their parents want them to do.
1.2
STATEMENT OF
THE PROBLEM
Occupational
choices have been known to be made by parents for their children without the
consideration of where the child’s interest lies or what child is capable of
doing and due to this kind of parental influence, some students have found
themselves, to be unhappy for not being allowed to do what they found to be of
interest to them and what they believe they can do best. This non-conformity in
values has vital consequences on the occupational aspirations and subsequent
choice as this affect the individual’s productivity.
The
central problem of this study is the influence of parents towards their
children’s choice of career.
1.3
PURPOSE OF
THE STUDY
The
purpose of the study is to find out the extend to which parents influence
affect career choice among secondary school student in Ado-Odo-Ota Local
Government Area of Ogun State.
In
this study, variables that constitute the parental influences on students
choice of career were identified in order to provide useful information for
counseling practices.
1.4
HYPOTHESIS
The
following hypothesis will be tested at 0.05 level of significance
i.
There will be no significant relationship between
parents educational attainment and career choice of their children.
ii.
There will be significant relationship between parents
socio-economic status and students’ choice of career aspiration.
1.5
SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
It
is the hope of the researcher that at the end of the study, an insight would be
gained into occupational preference of students and the influence of parents on
the preferences made.
The
findings would help the Guidance Counselors to know more about student’s
problems and how to help them by giving them proper career counseling. Thus, if
properly handled, it would save students from future frustration in choosing
the wrong profession and the nation would also benefit from proper employment
and productivity of individuals.
Also,
it would provide educators and planners with the awareness of facts that can
help them in finding ways of meeting the personal needs of students.
Finally,
the study would provide useful information, which will guide future generations
of students in their choice of vocation. It would also provide necessary
guidance to students who are presently in secondary schools.
1.6
SCOPE OF THE
STUDY
This
study focuses on the influence of parents with regards to the choice of occupation
by their children. Parental influence on the choices of occupation by children
cannot be studied in isolation without mentioning the key variables which could
have intervening forces with parental influence during career decision-making
process of students.
The
study will be limited to five selected secondary schools in Ado-Odo-Ota Local
Government Area of Ogun State, Since it is not possible to cover all the
schools in the area. The survey shall focus on students in senior secondary
school SSSIII.
1.7
DEFINITION
OF TERMS
INFLUENCE: This entails a relatively
stable learned disposition to respond to social object in a particular manner,
reflecting evaluative concepts or belief about the object. Influence can be
positive or negative.
VOCATION: This refers to a particular
occupation, business, or professions, or trade or calling to a particular
activity
PARENTS: Father and mother
CAREER: This refers to a sequence of
occupation, jobs and positions throughout a person’s working life.
EDUCATION: This is simply the process
of transmitting and committing a body of knowledge, skills and attitude, which
naturally should lead to a change in behaviour.
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION: This refers to
preparation of individuals for employment in recognized occupation. And providing
appropriate training in skills, abilities, and knowledge to individuals to
enable them to enter and progress in their field of occupations.
OCCUPATIONAL ASPIRATION: This refers to
person’s orientation towards occupational goals.
OCCUPATIONAL CHOICE: This refers to the
psychological preference or desire the individual has regarding work status.