Effects of Vocational Guidance and Counselling on Students' Choice of Career in Public Senior Secondary Schools in Rivers State

The study examined the effects of vocational guidance and counselling on students’ choice of career in public senior secondary schools in Rivers State. To achieve the purpose of the study, four (4) objectives of the study, four (4) research questions and four (4) null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study made use of quasi-experimental research design. The population of the study was 11,920 senior secondary II (SSII) students of all public secondary schools in Rivers State for the 2024/2025 academic session. The sample size of was one hundred and fifty students for the pre-test and the same one hundred and fifty students for the post-test. The sampling technique used was a multistage sampling technique. The instrument used for data collection was a self-structured questionnaire that was rated using four-point rating scale. The data gathered were analyzed using weighted mean and standard deviations for the research questions while the null hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) statistic at 0.05 level of significance. Based on the data analysis, the findings revealed that vocational guidance and counselling has positive and significant effects on career education, assessment and testing, career exploration, career development planning, counselling and coaching, skills, values and job market on career choice of students in public senior secondary schools in Rivers State. Based on the findings of the study, the study recommends that: schools incorporate comprehensive career education programmes into their curriculum to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decision. The Ministry of Education at the state level should provide public secondary schools with qualified career counsellors and coaches who can offer individualized guidance and support to students as they navigate their career choices.