CHAVUMA PARENTS APPEAL FOR CAREER GUIDANCE TEACHERS

PARENTS in Chavuma have appealed to gov ernment to employ ca reer guides in schools to allow pupils to have a wide-ranging selection of careers.

Speaking in an inter view, Irene Muloji said lack of exposure to other kinds of careers has made most pupils only aspire to be teachers, nurses and soldiers as these are the kind of jobs seen mostly in the district.

Mrs. Muloji noted there is a need for career guides in schools so that pupils are able to channel their aspirations to other careers such as lawyers, accountants and bankers among others.

“We look forward to the moment that Chavu ma district will produce a geologist, lawyer, doctor, banker, or even a pastor,” she said.

Mrs. Muloji said, ``We love our teachers and nurses but not all chil dren should follow that route, because if you ask eight to 16 pupils why they are saying they want to be teachers, they will probably not give a valid reason because that’s what they are exposed to,” she said.

She observed that those children who have been exposed and have travelled are able to in fluence their friends but the ratio is too limited to foster change.

“No wonder it is better to have career guides in schools so that it can be easier to convince pu pils that there are a lot of other types of jobs in the country," she said.

She has since appealed to government and oth er relevant authorities involved in the ongoing teacher recruitment ex ercise to at least send one or two careers guides to the Chavuma.

And Martin Chiyesu, a parent, has advised other parents in the district to be their children’s men tors and to wait for the government to employ a career guide.

Mr. Chiyesu said par ents should impart knowledge and help children discover their talent and ambitions so that they can aspire to be something great.

“As parents, we should take interest in the growth of a child by not only providing food and sending them to school but also by being their mentor. We cannot sit and only leave the career talk for the government,” he said.