The Exposure Of Township Secondary School Learners To Career Education In Lejweleputswa District

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine how Grades 9, 10 and 11 learners are exposed to career education. Based on the literature review, career education is a self-concept which begins in early childhood because of the influence of the self-concept formation on career development. Questionnaires were administered to both learners and educators. A closed-ended questionnaire was administered to 337 learners from selected secondary schools in Lejweleputswa Education District. An open-ended questionnaire was also administered to four educators who taught Life Orientation in Grade 9, 10 and 11. Closed-ended questionnaire data were analysed quantitatively whilst the open-ended questionnaire was analysed qualitatively. A literature review revealed that career counselling by Life Orientation educators play a major role in career guidance. Educators guide learners to the desired career goals. Items on perceptions of learners to career education exposure were analysed using descriptive statistics, from descriptive analysis KMO which was used to verify sampling adequacy for data analysis. Factor analysis was done and five factors were extracted. Factor 1 was called career education value, Factor 2 was called career exhibition exposure, whilst Factor 3 was called social influence, Factor 4 was called Life Orientation influence and Factor 5 was called specific subject influence. Most learners agreed that Life Orientation played a major and an important role in career education; hence they agreed that career education is valuable. Learners and educators agreed that it was through career exposure and career education that learners develop an interest in certain careers and this can be achieved through constant exposure of learners to career education. The results showed there was a statistically significant difference between Grade 9, 10 and 11 learners in career education value scores. The results also showed that there was a statistically significant difference between Grade 9, 10 and 11 learners in career exhibitions exposure scores. Educators’ responses indicated their active involvement in career education, despite the lack of career resources and lack of financial assistance because learners must be taken to career exhibitions which are held far away from schools. Educators mentioned that social influence was one of the reasons why learners made wrong subject choices, which led to wrong career choices. This implied that parents, friends and the media may play prominent roles in influencing certain learners in choosing their careers. This study recommends that it is through consistent exposure to career guidance that learners can reach full career maturity and confidence in career choice. Career education is valuable because it assists learners to be the master of their own career choice; it enables them to independently make informed and decisive career choices. During career exhibitions, career counsellors should be readily available to counsel groups of learners with similar career choices or interests. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) can ensure that within local libraries, recent career education resource packages are always available. The DBE should work with local authorities to ensure that the Internet is available at township libraries to assists less-fortunate learners. This will enable these learners to access information on career education and career choices.