ABSTRACT

Despite the fact that career development process is life-long, choices made during the secondary school years are particularly important in setting the foundation for future professional choices to students. Selecting a career can be a daunting task for many students, who must balance a) their own personal interests, abilities, talents and dreams with, b) what is available in various accessible universities and tertiary institutions in a rather very dynamic global society, as well as with, c) what may come of their academic performance in the final examinations, for the purposes of pursuing and gaining vocational skills. Previous research and document evidence obtainable in popular media had consistently reported that cameroonian students’ career standing and general conduct in the wider labour market did not reflect stability in career choices. Consequently, this caused a lot of concerns to the stakeholders who had perceived career decisiveness for young people as very needy. These perceptions suggested that either the career counselling at schools were defective or their existed a discrepancy between the career guidance program objectives and the instructional practices meant to achieve them. The purpose of this study was to investigate decisiveness in career choices among secondary school students in Buea. It was guided by Social Learning Theory of Career Decision Making (SLTCDM). Specifically, it aimed at determining factors that were influencing career decisions, establishing how certain students were in their career choices, assessing the preparedness of secondary schools in careers education and finding out the views of both the students and teachers on careers education. Descriptive survey design was used in this work. Three instruments, a questionnaire, an interview schedule and documents analysis guide were used in collecting data. The study population comprised of 3720 Form IV students and 62 teachers. Out of this, 13 teachers and 190 students were sampled for the study. Notable findings in the study showed that 64% of sampled students were uncertain about their career choices. Moreover, 87% of teachers were found insufficiently prepared to run career guidance programs in schools. None of the schools had embraced information technology in career guidance processes. Based on these findings, it was recommended that schools should consider employing professional career counsellors who would assist the students on a day to day basis in all manner of career decisions- similar to the way schools engage medical personnel for medical issues with students.

1.5 Objectives of the Study
The study was specifically designed to:-
1. Determine the factors that influence career decisions among secondary school students in Buea.
2. Establish and document students’ certainty levels in career choices in Buea secondary schools.
3. To assess the preparedness of Kiambu West District secondary schools in careers education.
4. To find out the views of the teachers and students on issues of careers’ education in secondary schools in Buea.
1.6 Research Questions
The proposed study sought to answer the following questions:-
1. What are the factors influencing decisions on career choices among students in Buea secondary schools?
2. What is the state of students’ level of certainty in career choices?
3. What are the available career decision resources in Bueat schools?
4. How is the career guidance conducted in Buea secondary schools?
5. What are the views of students and teachers on careers education in Buea secondary schools?