Teachers and parents have been advised to identify learners’ interests and offer guidance based on careers linked to subjects they are genuinely passionate about.
Identification of children career interest should be initiated soon after their acquisition of basic education.
In an interview, Education expert and Counselling Psychologist Dr Nancy Wanjiru said that as local and international curriculum focuses towards competency based studies, identification of learners’ interests in particular subjects remained important.
Unlike in the past when studies remained theoretical in nature, today technical hands-on skills remain key in guiding learners’ future career choice with some learners showing what they prefer in early stages of their schooling.
The past pursuit of academic excellence in both science and humanities based subjects that resulted in cut throat competition for higher education spaces, the educationist says had affected government set transition to higher education levels.
Dr Wanjiru said that at time was now ripe for teachers, guardians and parents to allow those who have talents to develop them after basic education without being forced to first complete higher education which affected many Kenyans in selecting their refereed careers.
‘’Those who feel they have talent at early stages of their learning should be allowed to pursue suitable artisanal skills right after primary or secondary school education and these talents need to identified by parents and teachers,’’ said the Psychologist.
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Statistics, she explained indicated that the number of those failing to transit to the next levels of education strata continued to fall in Kenya with a mere 60 per cent of the 75 per cent of those who accessed secondary schooling proceeding to higher education.
She said students needed support in careers choice with motivation being a key ingredient in encouraging learners to pursue careers linked to passions and talents identified early in their education.
Learners, apart from requiring motivation also needed to have interest in certain subjects linked to their future careers; noted Dr Wanjiru adding that while in need of more motivation girls should not always be pushed to careers linked to humanity subjects.
Those wishing to go further education and careers in foreign countries, the education expert said needed some orientation on the lifestyles and social issues they expected in the foreign countries to avoid culture shock among other issues related to language, weather and social relationships
‘’Those interested in pursuing education and careers in foreign countries must be familiarised with the social and psychological issues they are expected to face,” warned Dr Wanjiru.
She asked the learners to embrace ICT based skills adding that virtual access of education remained the pillar of the future careers and those being left behind would suffer lack of skills and employment.
Those seeking to succeed in today’s ICT driven education and careers, Dr Wanjiru advised should to be all round familiar with ingredients sharing success in work places.
By Robert Nyagah
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