| dc.description.abstract | Background: In Uganda, students face difficulty during career transition between different
levels of education and employment despite government policies about implementation of
career guidance and counselling services. Little has been documented about students’ levels of
awareness, utilisation and extent of implementation of career guidance and counselling
services within secondary schools in Uganda.
Objective: This study aims at documenting students’ level of awareness and utilisation career
guidance and counselling services, and how these services were being implemented in
secondary schools in Uganda.
Method: Cross-sectional survey was conducted using mixed methods in secondary schools in
South Western Uganda. A total of 161 students in final year of secondary education (senior six)
and 35 teachers across four schools met inclusion criteria and consented to participate in the
study. Standardised questionnaires as primary tools of data collection were used. Quantitative
data were analysed using SPSS (Version 23) and content analysis for qualitative data.
Results: Majority of students (98.8%) revealed high awareness about existence of career guidance
and counselling services, while 87.0% reported utilising the services. Implementation of career
guidance and counselling in schools was demonstrated by type of programmes, information
sources, models, timing and information structure by class level. However, challenges to
implementation were sited, namely student, teachers, administrators, parents and policy factors.
Conclusion and recommendation: Career guidance and counselling services were available
and used in secondary schools. However, implementation was affected by functional and
structural challenges that affected the quality of career counselling information and required
alignment to national development goals.
Contribution: The efficacy of career guidance and counselling in secondary schools in Uganda
was documented in this article. | en_US |
