According to Guidelines for Implementation of Senior School Education (2025), Career Guidance and Counselling in Senior Schools (Grades 10-12) focuses on tripartite parts: (1) Self-awareness, (2) Career Exploration, and (3) Career Mapping. This formed the basis of my 26th treatise on Competency-Based Education (CBE).
Actually, Career Counselling play a pivotal role in the lives of learners. We acknowledge, learners in Senior School need knowledge so as to identify their strengths, explore potential careers, and set realistic goals based on skillset. Then, see and seize oodles of opportunities available in Kenya, and beyond.
Meaning, early exposure of learners to useful career information, is the right route to correct career choices; matching their career plans and educational aspirations. In new education dispensation, policy posits, every Senior School should establish Career Guidance Committee: to implement and co-ordinate Career counselling programmes. The committee should be chaired by Senior Master or Mistress. Heads of Subjects should be members of the committee. They are expected to organise career talks facilitated by career experts as spelt out in National Policy Framework for Career Guidance in Kenya (2024). The experts include: Career educators, career counsellors and career specialists. This is achieved in three-pronged structure of Career Guidance and Counselling Services: Self-awareness, career exploration and career mapping.
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Self-Awareness
Firstly, through self-awareness or intra-personal skill, learners strive to know themselves: their qualities, interests, character traits, talents, gifts, mindsets, skillsets, values, et cetera. No wonder, it’s important to encourage learners in Senior School to go through personality test so as to ascertain career orientation and inclination. Or know how to fit firmly in tertiary programmes. Learners should discover how to develop strong foundational skills for programmes requiring in-depth study, research and analytical skills.
So, they require training on how to conduct research, use library resources, and evaluate credible sources of career information. For such skills will be of help in college and world of work. For students interested in joining middle-level colleges, schools should emphasise development of practical skills, which are relevant in their field such as laboratory work, technical drawing and field exercises.
Advisably, it’s important to familiarise students with digital platforms, online learning tools and essential software. For various varsities incorporate digital resources into teaching and learning. Then, it’s important to avail opportunities for students to handle change and challenge, take constructive feedback, and recover from setbacks while building resilience.
Career Exploration
Secondly, career exploration aids learners to connect what they learn in classroom with the world of work. Learners should read, research, consult and create proper profiles of careers they aspire to pursue after Senior School. They should ascertain requisite skills, qualifications, work conditions, and future prospects, which are in line with careers they envision to pursue in future. Then, learners should be aware of credible sources of career information such as career magazines, newspaper articles, careerpedias, books, catalogues, et cetera. To understand current job market trends. As well as anticipate future career opportunities. Likewise, schools should provide sufficient information about manifold fields in careers.
Additionally, it’s imperative to work with learners in creation of individualised pathway plans focusing on target institutions, programmes and qualifications. Learners in Senior School should take 7 subjects whereby 4 are compulsory: English, Kiswahili or Kenya Sign Language (KSL), Community Service Learning (CSL) and Essential or Core-Mathematics. The other 3 subjects come from STEM, Social Sciences and Arts and Sports Science pathways.
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Then, learners should understand entry requirements, and application process through Kenya Universities and Colleges (KUCCPS) portal. Learners must meet specific minimum grade threshold at the end of Grade 12 assessment: Kenya Certificate of Basic Education (KCBE). It’s also important to apprise learners about documents that will be needed such as results slip, recommendation letters, and certificates of extra-curricular and co-curricular activities. As well as learner exit file. There is the exigent need of offering good guidance and advice on personal statements, entrance exams and portfolio requirements.
Meaning, as part of career exploration, learners in Senior School should be informed on how they will fund their studies in tertiary institutions through exploration of avenues such as household contributions, scholarships, loans, grants, bursaries, work study programmes, part time jobs, et cetera. Likewise, it’s important to talk about apprenticeship, internship and mentorship (AIM) programmes.
Career Mapping
Thirdly, through career mapping, learners take pro-active steps towards achieving their future goals and careers. So, Senior Schools can make wise use of models such as RIASEC; realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising and conventional (Holland, 1966): to assess learners’ inherent interests and talents. Schools should offer good guidance. So as to address career concerns. This will prop them up during transition.
Finally, the onus is on us educators to assist learners set realistic goals, manage stress and develop coping skills in new environments. It’s important to create awareness on self-advocacy, assertiveness and decision-making skills. As well as seeking support and guidance when need be. For independence and self-reliance, will be part of thrills and hills ahead.
By Victor Ochieng’
Victor Ochieng’ is career educator. He guides students on how to make informed career choices. vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
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