THE ROLE OF VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE ON SKILL ACQUISITION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN KUMBA II MUNICIPALITY

                                                              ABSTRACT

This study examined the role of vocational guidance on skills acquisition by students in secondary schools in the Kumba I Municipality. The objectives of the study were to find out how volition or freewill, suitability, social and personal and preparation affect the acquisition of skills by students.

The study employed a descriptive survey design and quantitative research methodology. The purposive and simple random sampling technique and were used to select participants and collect data from a total sample of 160 students.

The instrument used for data collection in this study was the questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed descriptively using means, percentages and standard deviations while the hypotheses were verified using inferential statistics – the Pearson Product Moment Correlation analysis with the help of the SPSS.

Findings of the study revealed that: 1) there is a significant relationship between volition and acquisition of skills by students in secondary schools in Kumba I Municipality (Г_xy= 0.416**); 2) there is a significant relationship between suitability and skill acquisition by students in secondary schools in the Kumba I Municipality (Г_xy= 0.212**); 3)

social and personal development has a significant influence on the acquisition of skills by students in secondary schools in the Kumba I Municipality (Г_xy= 0.238**); and 4) preparation of students significantly influence the acquisition of skills by students (Г_xy= 0.204**).

Based on these findings, it was recommended that guidance counsellors should expand their services to include vocational guidance to help students make the correct choices in terms of a career instead of focusing solely on psychosocial or disciplinary issues.

                                                            CHAPTER ONE

                                             GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Introduction

The choice of a profession is usually not as easy as the choice of a vocation. A vocation is characterized by a natural predisposition or potential or aptitude to perform a given job or belong to a particular profession.

In this light, vocational guidance becomes primordial in exposing each generation of learners to realize the best career paths to follow based on their innate abilities. 

This chapter will be made up of a background of the study, statement of the problem, Research Objectives, Research Questions, Hypothesis, Significance of the study, Delimitation and scope of the study, the definition of operational terms.

Background of the Study

The history of school guidance and counselling around the world varies greatly based on how different countries and local communities have chosen to provide academic, career, personal, social skills and competencies to children and their families in relation to economic and social capital, resources and public versus private educational settings in what is now called Counseling program.

In the United States, the school counselling profession began as a Vocational guidance movement at the beginning of the 20th century.

In 1908 Frank Parson known as the father of Guidance established the Bureau of Vocational guidance in Boston to assist young people to make the transition from school to work.

Due to that, the children were able to make better choices of the existing job opportunities. Since then, the profession of school Counseling has continued to grow.

In Africa and in Cameroon in particular the recognition of Guidance Counseling started timidly during the Brazzaville conference in 1944 which led to the creation of a Polytechnique services in Douala in 1945. This service was responsible for the selection of personnel for specific jobs in the factories and industries.

The services subsequently led to the creation of a psychological centre for orientation and professional selection attached to the inspectorate of labour.

In 1963 the centre was transformed into a professional orientation service and psychological study unit for employment problems. It was responsible for psychological testing, documentation and the administration of another psychology test in the ministry of national education.

Statement of the Problem

The increasing rate of unemployment and incidence of school dropout in the Kumba municipality is a serious problem judging by the concern among parents, educators, school counsellors, civic administrator and students on skills acquisition of secondary schools students.

Vocational guidance is a concept that still to is understood by the population of Kumba and many students are still to understand the various skills that make up a career.

The researcher is troubled by the fact that there are many unemployed students and limited jobs opportunities in the Kumba Municipality because they do not have the skills and aptitude through the early training programs

 Further, the academic program does not make provision for skill and aptitude acquisition among secondary school students in spite of the existence of the Guidance Counseling department which is expected to render the services which are educational, psychosocial and Vocational guidance.

There is a visible lapse in the area of Vocational guidance because students require volition (free will), suitability, preparation, social and personal development to acquire skills. It is against this background the study seeks to investigate the role of Vocational guidance on skills acquisition of secondary schools students in Kumba.                         

Research Objectives

General Research Objectives

To investigate the role of vocational guidance on skills acquisition of secondary schools students in the Kumba I Municipality.

Specific Research Objectives

1. To bring out the effect of volition and choice on skills acquisition of secondary schools students in the Kumba I Municipality.
2. To find out the effect of suitability on skills acquisition of secondary schools students.
3. To describe the effect of social and personal development on skills acquisition of secondary schools students.
4. To find out the effect of preparation on skills acquisition of secondary schools students

Research Questions

General research questions:

How does vocational guidance influence skills acquisition of secondary schools students?

Specific Research Questions

1. How does volition and choice influence skills acquisition by secondary schools students?
2. How does suitability influence skills acquisition of secondary schools students?
3. How does preparation affect the skills acquisition of secondary schools students?
4. How does social and personal development influence skills acquisition of secondary schools students?