In summary. Students were advised to stop negative bias on Vocational Courses. Girls were encouraged to take on courses that were originally known for men. Such career guidance sessions according to Ms Nambasa Sharon,the OVC Coordinator,are meant to make students make informed decisions.
Students attentively listening as the session goes on. PHOTO BY MOSES MUWULYA
By Moses Muwulya
Students sponsored by Kitovu Mobile through the Grand mothers,Orphans and vulnerable Children (OVC) Social support project, were on Wednesday given career guidance. This was held at St Paul Primary school in Masaka.
The move aims at enabling students make informed career decisions,stay focused and later emerge successful and ably change their livelihood as the case has been with most of the ex-project beneficiaries.
Mr Ssemugabi during the session. He said many students have neagtive bias on vocational courses. PHOTO CREDIT: MOSES MUWULYA
The students were encouraged by facilitators to embrace vocational courses and stop thinking that such courses are meant for academic failures.
Mr David Ssemugabi, one of the facilitators who took them through vocational career path, said many students treat vocational courses as courses meant for academic failures.
The St Kizito Technical Institute Instructor further advised girls to consider taking on courses which were formerly known for boys/men.
“Choose any course, be it plumbing, carpentry, electrical installation and many more. Don’t be restricted by your gender,” Mr Ssemugabi said before disclosing that many girls at St Kizito have already embraced these courses.
A student makes a clarification regarding courses. Photo by Moses Muwulya
The boys were also encouraged to do the same. He says skilling Uganda needs to break such illusions. “courses like hair dressing,tailoring are no longer strictly meant for girl,so I also encourage boys to consider such courses and should feel shy over offering them”
But this requires one to have a dream ,and on this note,Semugabi encouraged them have dreams basing on their abilities; academically and financially,and other factors as may deem necessary .
He further encouraged them to associate with right friends who can make them see their dreams come true.
Career guidance is accorded less attention in many schools despite its great impact to students’ choices.
This saw Kitovu Mobile move on to offer the latter to its sponsored students as Ms Sharon Nambasa,the OVC coordinator shares.“We want our beneficiaries them to make right choices such that they don’t regret in future’
She says through such sessions, many have been helped and have emerged successful in the courses they selected.
Students benefited
George William Kiyingi, a senior six student from St Joseph Nkoni, said after the session, he has grounded his decision to join mechanics.
“I was despised by my colleagues when I told them I wanted that course, but I can now take it on” Kiying noted before thanking Kitovu Mobile for sponsoring him.
Gertrude Lunkuse, a senior four student at Archbishop Kiwanuka, said she has learnt how to make a good decision after looking at a number of factors.
She says they normally just choose a course either out of excitement or because of and wagon.
“Initially I wanted to become a lawyer or a nurse, but when the facilitator talked about considering family financial stand, I don’t think I can get tuition to study Law. So I would settle for nursing”
