School Related Challenges Affecting Career Decision-Making of Grade 12 Learners in Township Secondary Schools in Gauteng South Africa
The COVID -19 pandemic has highlighted various social, economic, psychological, financial, and physical challenges that learners encounter in South Africa. Learners continue to face challenges of ineffective and inaccurate career decisions when in secondary schools. This predicament makes them choos...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Tishk International University
2023-03-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ijsses.tiu.edu.iq/index.php/volume-10-issue-2-article-12/ |
| _version_ | 1797420292986896384 |
|---|---|
| author | Oluwakemi B. Ajayi Moeniera Moosa Peter Aloka |
| author_facet | Oluwakemi B. Ajayi Moeniera Moosa Peter Aloka |
| author_sort | Oluwakemi B. Ajayi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The COVID -19 pandemic has highlighted various social, economic, psychological, financial, and physical challenges that learners encounter in South Africa. Learners continue to face challenges of ineffective and inaccurate career decisions when in secondary schools. This predicament makes them choose wrong careers leading to low level functioning in the later world of work. These challenges have continued to receive much attention in the media and in various policy documents. Learners continue to face challenges of ineffective and inaccurate career decisions when in secondary schools. The authors of this paper argue that one of the core functions of any education system is to prepare learners to become functional citizens who are self-sufficient in their chosen and preferred careers. We argue that one way to ensure learners’ success and contribution to society is by providing them with adequate and effective career counselling. It is against this background that this study explored the school-related challenges affecting career decision-making of Grade 12 learners in township secondary schools in Gauteng, South Africa. The Krumboltz Social Learning Theory of Career Development (SLTCD) served as the theoretical framework for this study. Within the interpretivist research paradigm, a qualitative multiple case study research design was adopted. Purposive and convenience sampling methods were used to select 23 Grade 12 learners from six township secondary schools in Gauteng East District. Semi-structured online interviews were used to collect data and was analysed thematically. The findings indicate that schools lack the infrastructure required to provide learners with proper career guidance and education. The lack of access to career information services and incorrect subject combinations meant that learners were unable to choose appropriate career paths post Grade 12. We recommend that the Department of Basic Education prioritise the training and up skilling of designated educators to become specialised career counsellors in township secondary schools. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T07:00:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d3bb1782bb43488a807ac299b0efaae0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2409-1294 2520-0968 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T07:00:31Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Tishk International University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-d3bb1782bb43488a807ac299b0efaae02023-12-03T09:55:03ZengTishk International UniversityInternational Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies2409-12942520-09682023-03-0110213815910.23918/ijsses.v10i2p138School Related Challenges Affecting Career Decision-Making of Grade 12 Learners in Township Secondary Schools in Gauteng South AfricaOluwakemi B. Ajayi0Moeniera Moosa1Peter Aloka2University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South AfricaUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South AfricaUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South AfricaThe COVID -19 pandemic has highlighted various social, economic, psychological, financial, and physical challenges that learners encounter in South Africa. Learners continue to face challenges of ineffective and inaccurate career decisions when in secondary schools. This predicament makes them choose wrong careers leading to low level functioning in the later world of work. These challenges have continued to receive much attention in the media and in various policy documents. Learners continue to face challenges of ineffective and inaccurate career decisions when in secondary schools. The authors of this paper argue that one of the core functions of any education system is to prepare learners to become functional citizens who are self-sufficient in their chosen and preferred careers. We argue that one way to ensure learners’ success and contribution to society is by providing them with adequate and effective career counselling. It is against this background that this study explored the school-related challenges affecting career decision-making of Grade 12 learners in township secondary schools in Gauteng, South Africa. The Krumboltz Social Learning Theory of Career Development (SLTCD) served as the theoretical framework for this study. Within the interpretivist research paradigm, a qualitative multiple case study research design was adopted. Purposive and convenience sampling methods were used to select 23 Grade 12 learners from six township secondary schools in Gauteng East District. Semi-structured online interviews were used to collect data and was analysed thematically. The findings indicate that schools lack the infrastructure required to provide learners with proper career guidance and education. The lack of access to career information services and incorrect subject combinations meant that learners were unable to choose appropriate career paths post Grade 12. We recommend that the Department of Basic Education prioritise the training and up skilling of designated educators to become specialised career counsellors in township secondary schools.https://ijsses.tiu.edu.iq/index.php/volume-10-issue-2-article-12/school related challengescareer decision-makinggrade 12 learnerstownship secondary schools |
| spellingShingle | Oluwakemi B. Ajayi Moeniera Moosa Peter Aloka School Related Challenges Affecting Career Decision-Making of Grade 12 Learners in Township Secondary Schools in Gauteng South Africa International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies school related challenges career decision-making grade 12 learners township secondary schools |
| title | School Related Challenges Affecting Career Decision-Making of Grade 12 Learners in Township Secondary Schools in Gauteng South Africa |
| title_full | School Related Challenges Affecting Career Decision-Making of Grade 12 Learners in Township Secondary Schools in Gauteng South Africa |
| title_fullStr | School Related Challenges Affecting Career Decision-Making of Grade 12 Learners in Township Secondary Schools in Gauteng South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | School Related Challenges Affecting Career Decision-Making of Grade 12 Learners in Township Secondary Schools in Gauteng South Africa |
| title_short | School Related Challenges Affecting Career Decision-Making of Grade 12 Learners in Township Secondary Schools in Gauteng South Africa |
| title_sort | school related challenges affecting career decision making of grade 12 learners in township secondary schools in gauteng south africa |
| topic | school related challenges career decision-making grade 12 learners township secondary schools |
| url | https://ijsses.tiu.edu.iq/index.php/volume-10-issue-2-article-12/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT oluwakemibajayi schoolrelatedchallengesaffectingcareerdecisionmakingofgrade12learnersintownshipsecondaryschoolsingautengsouthafrica AT moenieramoosa schoolrelatedchallengesaffectingcareerdecisionmakingofgrade12learnersintownshipsecondaryschoolsingautengsouthafrica AT peteraloka schoolrelatedchallengesaffectingcareerdecisionmakingofgrade12learnersintownshipsecondaryschoolsingautengsouthafrica |