Bridging the Information Gap: Rethinking Career Guidance for SHS Graduates

The shift from Senior High School (SHS) to university is a pivotal moment in the educational and personal growth of youth in our country. During this time, students are required to make choices that will influence their future careers and, ultimately, their roles in national development. However, many SHS graduates face this decision-making process with significant uncertainty and insufficient guidance. Despite years of schooling, the majority of students leave high school without adequate support to assess their strengths, connect their academic interests to career goals, or fully comprehend the range of opportunities offered by the country’s higher education institutions.

A Common Problem

As a fact, countless SHS graduates enter universities without a firm grasp of their selected programs or how these align with their future aspirations each year. Ocansey (2013) notes that many students “make arbitrary career choices which often do not match their personality, values or abilities,” primarily due to the absence of trustworthy career guidance. This issue reflects broader systemic inadequacies within our secondary education system.

While teachers and family members often intend to help, they may lack current knowledge about available academic programs, emerging career fields, or trends in the job market. Kuadey (2020) observes, “Parents and teachers are influential in students’ career decisions, but their guidance can be skewed by traditional notions of prestige or limited understanding of modern careers.”

For example, a student who excels in English may feel pressured to pursue law, not out of genuine interest but because it is perceived as a prestigious career choice. Likewise, science students are often urged to follow medicine, overlooking alternative paths in health technology, research, or environmental science. This disconnect results in students entering fields where they struggle or lose interest.

Factors Behind Poor Career Decisions

Several factors contribute to this issue, most notably the absence of a comprehensive, ongoing career guidance policy in secondary schools. Though the Ghana Education Service (GES) mandates that guidance and counselling units be established in SHS institutions, actual implementation is often lacking. Many schools suffer from a shortage of trained counsellors and the systems necessary to assist students in exploring their academic and career options.

The GES’s Guidance and Counselling Policy Document (2010) states, “guidance and counselling services should be an integral part of the school curriculum.” Unfortunately, these services are frequently marginalized, resulting in minimal investment in counsellor training and program development. Consequently, guidance sessions, when they do occur, tend to be either vague or infrequent.

Another significant issue is the limited familiarity students have with tertiary institutions and their programs. Most rely on brochures, prospectuses, or outdated websites for information about universities. As noted by Essuman and Akyeampong (2011), “The disconnection between schools and higher education institutions deprives students of experiential understanding of their academic choices.”

Without direct experiences with university faculty, current students, or alumni, SHS graduates make decisions based on misconceptions or anecdotal evidence. The lack of structured communication between secondary and tertiary institutions means students often navigate these crucial choices without proper guidance.

The Harms of Misguided Choices

The ramifications of this flawed system are evident. Students who find themselves in unsuitable programs frequently face academic and emotional difficulties. A 2019 survey by the University of Ghana Career Services Unit revealed that 28% of first-year students contemplated switching programs within their first year due to a lack of interest or unexpected challenges. Such instability not only wastes time and resources but also places undue emotional strain on students.

On a broader scale, the nation also suffers from these misalignments. Divergent career paths can lead to underemployment, job dissatisfaction, and lower productivity levels. The World Bank’s Human Capital Index (2020) indicates that “learning-adjusted years of schooling is only 5.7 out of 11.6 possible years,” highlighting a significant gap in the quality and relevance of education relative to students’ true potential.

When students are steered into careers that do not leverage their abilities, the economy forgoes the creativity and innovation those individuals could contribute in more appropriate fields.

The Need for Comprehensive Career Guidance

To resolve these issues, we need to invest in a professional, data-driven, and accessible career guidance system. Each SHS should employ trained counsellors to assist students in self-assessment, goal-setting, and career planning. Appiah and Tetteh (2022) emphasize that “Career guidance should move from ad hoc lectures to structured; year-round programming embedded into the school timetable.”

Moreover, universities must play a proactive role in this process. They should conduct annual outreach initiatives, offer virtual orientations, and allow SHS students to attend lectures or meet faculty. Such engagement would provide students with realistic insights into academic life and help refine their interests and expectations.

Technology also opens up numerous opportunities. Development of digital platforms could facilitate career assessment tools, comprehensive information about all accredited university programs, and live Q&A sessions with professionals from various fields. Successful examples from Nigeria’s “U-Connect” and South Africa’s “Career Planet” reflect how tech can aid in informed career choices.

The Role of Stakeholders

While schools and the GES have vital roles, families, religious organizations, and the private sector also share responsibility. Parents should be encouraged to transition from directing their children’s career paths to empowering them to make informed choices. Religious institutions and NGOs can organize career expos, mentor programs, and skill-building workshops.

Corporate entities can contribute as well by partnering with schools to offer internships and job-shadowing opportunities. Such hands-on experiences help students grasp what different careers entail and how to prepare for them effectively.

Conclusion

The transition from SHS to university should be guided rather than left to chance. Students deserve the right tools, information, and mentorship to make decisions that align with their skills and aspirations. As we seek to build a competitive, knowledge-based economy, investing in proper career guidance is essential not just a benefit to society, but a national necessity. Our students deserve more than mere admission to a university; they deserve a future that aligns with their potential and passions.

 

WRITTEN BY: WISDOM KOUDJO KLU, EDUCATION EXPERT/COLUMNIST, GREATER ACCRA REGION. [email protected]