UNILORIN students hold career guidance for secondary schools in Ilorin

University of Ilorin, 400 level students, the Department of Counsellor Education, on Tuesday held the maiden edition of Career Guidance Programme for secondary school students to guide them on their career choices.

The department inaugurated the programme under the auspices of the Association of Student Counsellors in Nigeria (ASCON).

The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, who inaugurated the programme, commended the leadership of the department for organising it with such a large turn-out of secondary school students in Ilorin.

Abdulkareem, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Sylvia Malomo said this signified an aspect of the mandate of the university “which is community service.”

He said that the programme was timely because many students were going through schools without actually having a focus on the course they would study in tertiary institutions.

“Counselling is very important in life and if one is properly guided in making a choice, one will excel and be happy,” he said.

The Head of the Department of Counsellor Education, Prof. Mary Fajonyomi said that it was the habit of the department to expose its final year students to practicum exercise.

She said initially, the final year students would go out to secondary schools to have interaction and counselling with the students “but this is the first time the secondary school students are invited with the assumption that more schools and students will be reached.”

Fajonyomi said that it was expected of the final year students to engage in the theoretical aspect of what they were taught in class by having personal discussions and interactions with secondary school students on career guidance generally.

She said that lack of proper information to take wise and decisive decisions on their future careers was one of the problems secondary school students encounter.

“The career you choose as an individual determines, who you are generally, the type of work you are going to do, the type of family you are going to keep and even the type of friends you are going to have.”

According to her, if there is any mistake in choosing a career, there is bound to be frustration later in life, which is what the counsellors are trying to avoid.

Fajonyomi, therefore, expressed the hope that at the end of the programme, the students would be well informed.

Prof. Felicia Olasehinde-Williams, the Dean, Faculty of Education, appreciated the department for organising the programme and charged participants to make the best use of the opportunity.

She urged the department to consider organising a similar programme for teachers as well; saying secondary school teachers also needed to be counselled.

Among the secondary schools represented were Minaret Comprehensive College, Government Day Secondary School, Adeta and Zango Secondary School among others.

Highlights of the programme included general question and answer session and presentation of gifts.