Role of career guidance and counseling on Career awareness level of secondary school students in Meru South District - Kenya.

Abstract

The aim of career guidance is to provide occupational needs of the students in preparation for integration into the world of work. This study was carried out to establish the role of career guidance and counseling programmes on career awareness level of students in secondary schools. The study used expost facto design and was carried out in secondary schools in Meru South District. The district has 40 schools which have 2766 form four students and 40 guidance and counseling teachers. A sample of form four students and another sample of guidance and counseling teachers were selected. The data was collected using self-scoring questionnaires; one for the students and the other one for guidance and counseling teachers. Validity of the instruments was achieved by using the modified questionnaires, piloting and consulting the supervisors who ensured that the questionnaires captured the objectives of the study. Reliability was arrived at by pre-testing the instruments in the neighboring Maara District which has similar characteristics with the study area. Using the split-half reliability test, a coefficient of 0. 85 was obtained. The data was analyzed using frequency percentages, rank sum test and chi-square methods. It was presented using tables, pie charts and bar graphs. The data was analyzed using the computer based Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 16.0. The study established that there was a significant relationship between career guidance and counseling and career awareness level of secondary school students of Meru South District. The findings show that there are insufficient career counselors in Meru South district, inadequate availability of counseling facilities and that majority oft teacher counselors were not trained in guidance and counseling. The results of the study were used to highlight the needs of career guidance and counseling and to recommend improvements in secondary schools.