Association Embarks On Counseling Career Choice For Ebonyi Students

The National Association Of Ebonyi State Students (NAESS), is currently on a week-long sensitisation programme for students of secondary schools in the three senatorial zones of the state.

In a ceremony to mark the official flag-off of the week-long event yesterday in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, the National President of the Association, Comrade Collins Ogbonna said the Group embarked on the sensitisation programme, to guide the students, in line with the agenda of Governor Nwifuru’s administration, which is anchored on the People’s Charted of Needs.

His words: “we are your senior colleagues, and as well your teachers. Our major aim of being here is to advise you to make the right choices of career while getting into the tertiary institutions and become self-reliant, wealth creators and employers of labour instead of being liabilities to the society.”

Voice of Nigeria reports that the programme which aims to offer career counselling to secondary school students across the three Senatorial Districts of the state, was flagged off by the
Special Adviser to the Ebonyi State Governor on Student Affairs, Comrade Joshua Nwafor and his counterpart on Student Mobilization, Princess Angel Odono.

In their separate addresses during the flag-off ceremony, they emphasised the need for career guidance among Secondary School students and commended the state governor, Chief Francis Nwifuru for initiating programmes to support to the education sector in the state.

A Guest Lecturer on the occasion and former Coordinator of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in the Southeast and South south zones, Mr Olisaemeka Nwuruku, advised secondary students to go for courses that would fetch them self employment on their graduation, pointing out that over 90 per cent of graduates remain job seekers for making wrong choice of courses.

He advised students in secondary schools, to start early to develop interest in courses like medicine and surgery, nursing, pharmacy, medical laboratory, and other relevant health courses, adding that course like; civil engineering, mechanical engineering, architecture, building technology, computer science, law, others would also make them self reliant after their graduation.

According to him, “I know some of you have brothers or sisters already in higher institutions. Some of you might have started planning for your WAEC, NECO or JAMB. That you read political science will make you a politician. We are here to sensitise you on your career choice and deliberate selection of a profession for your future.”

Mr. Nwuruku further said, “there are no white collar jobs in society today. It’s very scarce now. As someone who read sociology, the question is; how do you succeed in getting a job after graduation? This is because 90 per cent of commercial motorcycle and tricycle riders are graduates. Would you like to make similar mistakes?”

The Secretary of the Association, Comrade Victor Uguru and the representive of Izzi Local Government Area in the Association, Comrade Israel Okemini lectured the students on some key areas including; cleanliness, the need to play supportive roles to their parents and guardians, and also cautioned them on the dangers of cultism.

In their separate reactions, the Principal of Iboko Secondary School, Mr Simon Mgbogo, the School Senior Prefect, Clinton Agbaeze and his counterpart of Station Community Vocational Secondary School Ndiogbu, Donald Nwoba commended the association for embarking on the project.

They advised that the programme should be sustained, because of its positive impacts on secondary students before seeking admission into higher institutions.