Determinant of teaching profession as a career among University students from Bumula sub county

Abstract

Career choice is a complex decision for students since it determines the kind of profession that they intend to pursue in life. As students try to make career choice while in secondary school, they face problem of matching their career choices with their abilities and school performance. In Kenya, every year form four secondary school students make career choices before sitting for their final examination (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations). However; studies indicate that most students enter into careers that are totally different from the ones they chose while in secondary. The purpose of this study was to examine factors influencing career choice among university students in Bumula Sub-County, Kenya. The objectives of the study were to: Determine how home environment influence the choice of teaching profession as a career among the university students from Bumula Sub County. Establish how institutional factors influence the choice of teaching profession as a career among the university students from Bumula Sub County. To investigate how the job market determines the choice of teaching profession as a career among the university students from Bumula Sub County. To examine how attitude of the students influence the choice of teaching profession as a career among the university students from Bumula Sub County. The study was conducted using ex-posto facto research design with a population of 167 students in public universities pursuing education courses. The data for this study was collected using questionnaire and interview schedules. Students pursuing education at public universities were interviewed. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics- means and frequency distribution. The study found out that students chose teaching profession as a career because they liked it and thought it was prestigious. The academic level of their parents and their attitude towards teaching profession also influenced their choice of the teaching profession as a career. In conclusion; the following factors hinder the choice of teaching profession as a career among university students from Bumula sub-county; performance and pedagogy at school; cultural norms, parental guidance, peer pressure and poverty and students' attitude. The study therefore recommends that; the GOK establishes policy regulating learning resources for education at the universities; universities enhance field attachment in education, organize exchange programs among themselves and enhance.education training programs in education courses. The outcome of this study is also expected to provide information to the prospective students on the best way forward to choose career in education that would enhance their professional lives. The study recommends further research similar to this one to cover the whole country, how to make the education courses affordable and appealing to would be teachers and determine the influence of gender in choice of courses and career.