FACTORS AFFECTING THE CHOICE OF TEACHING AS A CAREER AMONG STUDENT OF FACULTY OF EDUCATION, UNIZIK EDUCATION

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Career choice is considered as one of the major areas of concern for young people nearing the end of their schooling (Alberts, Mbalo, & Ackermann, 2003). Since it is a challenge to make a choice of their career, it is important for both parents and their children. As teaching plays vital role in preparing future generations of any society, it is essential to employ qualified and dedicated teachers in the profession. Therefore, choosing teaching as a career becomes more crucial. Many other factors within and outside the family have also been linked with career choices in teaching profession as well as other professions. When teacher recruitment is concerned, it is claimed that the profession fails to attract bright young people (Murnane, Singer, Willett, Kemple, & Olsen, 1991; Kyriacou & Coulthard, 2000). It has some structural, social and psychological reasons (Ingersoll, 2001; Lai, Mok, Ko, & Li, 2000; Menter, Hutchings, & Ross, 2002; Coulthard & Kyriacou, 2002). Some education students have the attitudes and perception of teaching as a profession, as a dumping group for less intelligent people and they also see it as a stepping stone towards better occupation.

This set of people lack dedication, respect for the value and objectives of teaching and this constitute a stumbling block in the channeling of ideas for authentic or genuine career development. Many of the teachers in Nigeria today and the education students in the career will not publicly declare that teachers making this lead to the factors influencing choice of teaching as a career identity among teacher among male students of College of Education UNIZIK. A study into the factors that motivate people to have choice of teaching as a career will help to correct some of the erroneous view people are help to confirm or refute some of the criticism against teaching as a career in the decision of what career to choose, firstly, The employment situation in the country, that is a situation that many influence people to choose a job of which they do not have the natural inclination. Another reason that may motivate people to choose a particular career is the nature of the job itself. The job, which may give plenty of free time aer the day’s work. Better job security is also another reason that motivates students choice of teaching as a career. So this focuses on examining examine the factors aecting the choice of teaching as a career among student of faculty of education, UNIZIK.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

As much as teachers are very important in the strengthening of the educational sector in Nigeria but the choice of teaching among students is gradually diminishing and this might pose a great challenge on the educational sector. Some factors have made the teaching profession less attractive to students, some these factors are; 1. Poor salary 2. Government’s low standard for education 3. Lack of adequate infrastructures in school 4. Challenging nature of the job 5. Inadequate relevant textbooks . Inadequate teaching aids 7. Lack of guidance and counselling 8. Student’s attitude towards teaching Most students sees teaching profession as a last resort when there are no other opportunities. The lack of passion for the teaching profession affects the output of the teachers. Poor output will affect the academic achievements of the students. The focus of this study is to examine the factors affecting the choice of teaching as a career among student of faculty of education, UNIZIK