Factors impeding use of guidance and counselling information for STEM careers choices: A study of secondary school girls in Tanzania

Introduction Career guidance and counselling information (CGCI) is vital for encouraging girls’ participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). It allows them to express and implement their innovative ideas while contributing to their personal and national development. This study identified factors that impede secondary school girls’ use of guidance and counselling information for science subjects/STEM careers choices. The study also assessed the impact of students not utilising guidance and counselling information for STEM career choices. Methods Through a cross-sectional descriptive design, data were collected by using questionnaires, focus group discussions, and interviews. Thematic analysis was applied for qualitative data, while quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics with IBM SPSS version 25. Discussion Findings disclosed that parents’ influence on their daughters’ career choice is a significant challenge affecting the use of CGCI that they access from their teacher counsellors. However, such a challenge has a strong effect on girls’ STEM career choices. Conclusion The study concludes that, though this study has reported parents as a challenge to the use of CGCI by girl students, it is important for secondary school CGCI programs to actively involve parents in providing CGCI to girl students. Such teamwork will improve the provision of comprehensive career guidance and counselling information, ultimately improving girls’ decision-making on science subjects choice, especially when joining Form Three.