Brac Uganda last week held a career guidance session for students preparing to sit for their A-levels.

The training, at Hana International School in Nsangi, Wakiso district, was called to encourage students to make the right choices as they prepare to join institutions of higher learning.

The expo attracted over 510 scholars from 60 schools, who will be sitting their A-level exams later this year.

Francis Tabu, the programmes manager at Brac Scholar programme, explained that not many students have benefitted from guidance; so, they end up studying courses that they don’t practice.

“When the students join universities; sometimes unintentional, they end up doing irrelevant courses which, at the end of the courses, they don’t practice,” he said.

Tabu was speaking at the expo, also supported by Masterc​ard Foundation. According to Tabu, this is an effort to ensure that the scholars are informed and guided on post secondary choices; Brac has organized the event to expose them​to the available tertiary opportunities.

Addressing the expo as chief guest, Robinson Nsumba-Lyazi, the education ministry’s director for Basic and Secondary Education, told the students that the world is very competitive and employers need people who are efficient, effective and who will be critical thinkers.

“There is a lot of pressure, the world needs critical thinkers, people who can make decisions as well as are “hands-on;” some of these skills can be got in vocational institutions; in the 21st century things are changing very fast and you have to be dynamic,” Nsumba-Lyazi said.

Dennis Alfred Angunyo, the head teacher at Hana International School, said some students were already influenced in the choice of subjects.

“Some of you are trapped in career mindset, the subjects you chose are going to lead you into careers you will never practice,” he said.
“Some of you are not going to make it to university but you can start from anywhere; education does not have an age limit.”

The expo attracted representatives from different public universities and business, technical and vocational institutions with an aim of guiding the students in making informed choices while choosing universities and vocational institutions to go to further their education.

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