Review Career Day to capture adolescents – Clinical Psychologist
• Dr Isaac Newman Arthur
Career Day has become one of the prominent events in schools in recent times and takes place even in nursery schools.
A Clinical Psychologist Dr. Isaac Newman Arthur has, however, advised educational institutions to review the age targeted for “Career day” celebrations in schools.
The was originally aimed at creating an opportunity for students to be exposed to careers available to them both locally and internationally on the job market to among others develop their interests.
Dr. Arthur in an interview with The Spectator recently opined that, though the intentions for career day may be good, educational institutions should reconsider it and make the needed changes.
He said this was to ensure that the children derived the full benefit of it, and also saved cost.
Currently, checks at various stores and dress making shops by this reporter revealed that it costs some parents and guardians between GH¢200 and GH¢500 or even more to get the various attires for their children and wards.
Dr. Arthur said the practice currently was losing its relevance to the children as he mentioned that ideally, it should involve adolescents because “they are at the stage of cognitive development where they could understand and meaningfully discuss issues of their own lives and future goals or careers.
He said the adolescence stage was characterised by the development of their own world views, identity and independence and were able to think both logically and scientifically, and beable to discuss issues with some degree of understanding.
“They are likely to benefit more from the Career Day than the small children” he said.
The Clinical Psychologist who is also a Medical Doctor said when Career Day was held for children in lower primary and even kindergarten, apart from the fun it created, the children at that stage may not be able to derive any other benefits from the event.
“ It could be organised for that purpose, but not an opportunity for the children to learn or make career choices at that stage. If the goal of Career day is to help them take decisions about the career, then it would not be beneficial at that stage in their lives” he said.
Dr. Arthur suggested that aside wearing the attires of the various professions, counsellors could be invited to help guide both parents and adolescents on the right career path.
He was of the opinion that pupils who were in the Junior High Schools would be a more effective target because they were on their way to the Senior High Schools where they would need to be assisted on the courses to take at that level of education.
He explained that, at that age, they were most likely to understand the practice and actively participate to derive the full benefit of the purpose of that occasion.
The Clinical Psychologist said children below that age would only see it as fun thereby defeating the purpose of the exercise.
Parents could be saved the costs of organising such programmes.
In an interview with The Spectator, an Accountant, Mr. Patrick Amoah Sarfo said he had been to some schools to talk to some of the children during the event which he believed had made some of them well informed about his profession and that of other community workers who came.
He observed that, the ages of the children had to be seriously considered because some of them especially those in the nursery schools and even in some cases the lower primary did not appreciate the day as compared with those in the upper primary and junior high schools.
He suggested that schools should not make it compulsory for all students to dress in their future career attires because it put a lot of financial burden on parents and could even make some children develop inferiority complex if they were unable to dress as such.
Another parent, a Fashion Designer, Ms Clementine Xorlali Tettey said apart from the excitement it brought to the children, she thought its current form did not make it important.
“ However if modified it will serve a good purpose” she said.
From Dzifa Tetteh Tay, Tema
