THE EFFECT OF COUNSELLING ON CHOICE PATTERN OF VOCATIONAL SUBJECTS BY
SOME SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN UHUNMWODE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE
ABSTRACT
The aim of the research was to examine the effect of counselling and choice pattern of vocational subject by senior secondary school students. Questionnaires was used to elicit information from the students of SS I in public and private schools of Uhunmwode Local Government Area, Edo State. A total of 100 questionnaires (25 each from four schools) were used. The analyses of our investigation showed that students given best counseling to unable to choose wise career for future occupation. At the end of the counselling exercise, the student was able to choose the best career based on his talents, interest, and his personality type.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Chapter One      
Introduction ‘
Background of the study
Statement of problem
Purpose of the study
Research questions
Research hypothesis
Significance of the study
Scope of the study
Definition of terms
Chapter Two      
Review of related literature
Counselling and vocational subject
The students and subject choice pattern
Developmental theory
Factors responsible for vocational choice of subject.
Effect of counselling on the choice
Pattern of vocational subject.
Chapter Three
Methodology
Design of study
Population
Sample and sampling techniques
Research instrument
Reliability of instrument
Administration of instrument
Analysis of data
Chapter Four     
Data analysis, result and discussion
Type of counselling students received in secondary school
Counselling impact on students ‘
Factors that influence choice patter of vocational subject
Students’ performance and choice of vocational subject
Chapter Five      
Summary, conclusion and recommendations
Summary
Conclusion
Recommendations
References                  
Questionnaires           
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
        Vocational education is an important component in a nation where there is a low level of technical knowledge; it has its primary goals, the training and imparting necessary skills to who shall be self reliant economically. It provides technical knowledge and skills necessary for agricultural, commercial and economic development and provision of manpower in the applied science, technology and business, particularly art craft, advance craft and technical level.
Obudo (2007) opined that at the secondary school level, vocational education is expected to give the students a full blown vocational education. In actualize its goals, the national policy on education (2004) observed that students who complete junior secondary school, technical college and act of junior training centre and apprenticeship scheme, and streamed shall be base on the result of text to determine academic ability attitude and vocational interest
        The goals as pointed out cannot be actualized with particular reference to self exploration, interest and accurate information that are available. Most Nigeria senior secondary school students experience problems conflicts and interest conforms and disappointment in living up to the demand of their subject especially vocational subjects in senior secondary school level. Such problems could sometimes lead to no low academic performance of the students or failure in life. Significant factors know to play a major influence on the academic performance of the students with particular performance to choosing of vocational subject are counselling, sex, status, of parents, prestige attached to the job, school subject and interest. In that case, the senior secondary school subject should be prepared to meet the challenges of the changing labour market and therefore, vocational development should be a priority. However, if left unguided in the choice of vocational education, particularly some youths choose wrong and regret all their lives but a right choice result in a happy progressive and fulfilled, while a wrong choice may make the future progress of an individual bitter or rough.
        Strong (1994) likened interest and ability to motor and a boat, according to him, interest determines the field interest or choice on a task have enable a less able person to do as well, if not more than an able or interested person. From the foregoing in the assessment of the overall performance in vocational subjects, counselling and choice pattern played vital role. This therefore, goes along way to show that vocational counselling and choice pattern has a particular influence on choosing vocational subject. Sensitization still go extra mile to ensure that they perform better. Reverse is also the case as can be seen in some unguided students, their performance is lower than that of the guided students, the guided students perform more better than their counterparts in their vocational subjects.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS
        Most Nigerian senior secondary schools experience problems, difficulties and confusion in adjusting to the demand of their chosen course especially vocational courses in institutions of higher learning. The difficulties often experienced may ultimately lead to poor performance and poor academic achievement, it becomes imperative therefore to determine the effect of counselling choice pattern of vocational subject by senior secondary school students in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State.   
RESEARCH QUESTIONS  
1.           What factors influence the pattern of choice vocational subjects?
2.           Do you (students) perform positively when they choose vocational subjects?
3.           Does counselling impart positively on students?
4.           What type of counselling do you (students) receive in secondary school?
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
        The main purpose of this study is to determine the effect of counselling and choice pattern of vocational subjects by senior secondary school students, specifically the purpose are to determine:
1.           If the students positively when they choose vocational subjects.
2.           What factors (gender and parental education) influence the choice pattern of vocational subjects?
3.           If counselling is effectively important on senior secondary school students
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
        Choosing a course of study is one of the important discussions to make inappropriate choice may spell ruin for the individual and the society. The findings of this research therefore will benefit the students, counselors, and educational planners. Counselling experts have proved that the individual may stimulate into any appropriate occupation by mere lack, but the wise choice of an occupation requires accurate information about what occupations are available. The essence of this is to show the role of counselling on vocational subjects in the academic performance and achievements of the students. Moreover, it will also help to know how factors such as choice pattern, gender and parental education influence the choice of student’s performance and competency. Self confidence, self reliance and fulfillment interest motivation and general performance of students.
        It will also help teachers, counselors, mentors, collaborators as they lead the students through the process of self attainment and produce competence and credible manpower to the development of the country.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY  
The study will cover the effect of counselling and choice pattern of vocational subjects by senior secondary school students in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State. Senior secondary school one (SS1) students will be used. This is a class where the students have been streamlined to their chosen course only public schools in Uhunmwode local government area of Edo State will be used.
DEFINITION OF TERMS      
Vocational performance: Refers to choosing or liking occupation better than others performance are often avert expression of interest, interest is the motivating force which disposes one to want to know, learn or do something.
Vocational education; refers to an aspect of education that mainly concerned with the preparation of individual for skill performance on tasks, it is also a kind of training or retraining, which is geared towards making the individual learners more productive through improved performance in either paid employment or in self employment.
Counselling; Refers to all kind of information about occupations, their entry requirement, choosing relevant subjects given to make a wise decisions includes society personnel education aid and vocational counselling.
Choice: An act of choosing between two or more possibilities, it is also seen as the range or number of different things from which to choose.
Pattern: This refers to a regular way in which something happen or something is done.
Educational planners: These are experts who are incharge of planning the educational system such that it will benefit the individual and society at large, they are also known as curriculum experts.
Occupation: This is defined as the kind of job or profession an individual is doing.
Vocational subject: This refers to our area of knowledge of study that is directly related to vocational occupation where a large art of its curriculum is devoted to learning specific skills which its students is to use immediately after graduation.
Curriculum: According to Taylor (1965) curriculum can be defined as all the learning of students which is planned and directed by the school to attain its educational goals, in other words curriculum deals with all the learning experiences that is given to a person or pupils to make him develop both character, skills and learning and become useful to himself and contribute meaningfully to his family, town (community) nation and world.