OCCUPATIONAL PREFERENCE OF STUDENTS IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

            Importance of occupation cannot be over emphasized as it is the bedrock of living, it may be conceived in terms of similar jobs or profession.

            Occupation can be describe as business or trade job that one engage in or occupies ones time either permanently or as a hobby. It is central phenomenon in the life of a human being. Both young and old prefer one occupation to another runs through all ages it is important, expensive and dramatic in the school (Hurlock 1973).

            Occupational preference is explicable complex and understand difficult. A variety of careers, jobs and occupation exist already and the dynamism of a society in creating more jobs to the pool.

            This research is more of a case study where goal is the authenticating of how science student prefer other occupations to teaching. And to be in line with the spirit underlying most case –study both primary and secondary sources of data were used to wrest significant knowledge and useful understanding which stems from infinite complexity and tangled internal of forces and action among science in college of education in making teaching as a profession.

            According to the objectives of National Commission for Colleges of Education.  The aims of accreditation of academic programmes are to: achieve a national standard in the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) as awarded by approved educational institutions in Nigeria. This is subject to the provision of national policy on education which maintains the minimum standard and achieves comparable interpretation of (NCE) certificate awarded by various institutions. To ensure that teachers education in Nigeria society (NCE 1990).

         In a nutshell, the colleges of education were established to produce teachers in the required quantity and quality to take charge of the primary schools and junior secondary school. The nation policy on education (2004) on its own emphasizes that ‘science education should provide framed man power in applied science technology and at sub-professional grades’ but it is a surprised thing to see some people that were trained to become teacher not applying the skill in the field they were trained for but rather choose another professions. Instead of teaching that they are been trained for. a lot of reasons come to the fore why science student in colleges of education develop the apathy toward their jobs as suggested by Larries (1968) also studies and repots of commissions showed the practicing teacher do not seem to be satisfied with their careers and job like that of Banjo Commission (1961) and Kupolati (1989). yet less attention has been paid as to the reason why apathy set in the study therefore is to discover whether teachers go into careers with the feeling of a ‘fact-a-compli’ that they are entering into a dull life. And unsatisfying work or whether while in training. They have high hopes of enjoying their lives as career teachers in future. People in the early stages of their life have one career or occupation that is in their mind but through one thing or the other, they were unable to find themselves in the field that they want to be. This research deals with investigation of the occupation preference of science students in colleges of education.    

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

            This study will attempt to find out the occupational preference of science students in colleges of education. that is what they prefer to do after obtaining their N.C.E. certificate since the students in colleges of education perceive teaching  as being more of an occupation than a profession it is in this light that the study set forth to substantiate such a stance.

1.3     OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

            The general objective of the study is to investigate the occupational preference of science student in colleges of education

1.4            RESEARCH QUESTION

            In order to achieve the objective of the objective of the study, a number of questions are raised with the view of providing answer to them.

1.                  Why do students not want to put the knowledge that they have acquired into practice?

2.                  Do student after graduation use their NCE certificate to work as classroom teachers?

3.                  Do the students love teaching as their career?

4.                  How can the negative altitude of science students toward teaching as a career be changed positively?

1.5     SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

      Significance of the study includes the opportunity for students in colleges of education and how this has affect our community. Also to assist the public and parents on how to have a first hand experience of science students occupational preference in colleges of education. To also be a stepping stone for any researcher who intends to under study related topics.

1.6     SCOPE OR DELIMITATION OF STUDY

      This study focuses on student in colleges of education only. it is limited to science students of federal college of education Osiele Abeokuta and Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu Ijebu Ode.  

1.7            OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

1.                  OCCUPATION: Day to day activities that one engages in or occupies one time either permanently or as a hobby.

2.                  PREFERENCE: What a person intend to do or choose

3.                  N.C.E:    Nigeria certificate in education