Parents urged to guide students in choosing courses- Economist

courses
Isaiah Sikayena

Economist, Isaiah Sikayena has urged parents and teachers to guide children in choosing courses that will help them gain employable skills before they come out of school.

He advised students to also choose courses that will help them create employment for themselves when they complete school.

His comments come after the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta stated that 50% of University entrants were choosing ‘hopeless’ courses while reading the 2021 Mid-Year Budget Review to Parliament on Thursday, July 29, 2021.

According to him, an increasing number of young Ghanaians entering tertiary institutions are opting for programmes “in sectors with no or little growth in the labour market”.

Speaking on Atinka TV’s morning show, Ghana Nie with Ekourba Gyasi Simpremu, Isaiah Sikayena identified that more than 50 percent graduates concentrate on business courses while a little focus on science and technology.

“With the choosing of the courses, the career guidance should start from the Junior High School. We have to help the students choose the right courses based on their abilities because everyone has a course they can do, If you ask me to choose a course which is more of reading, it will be a worry because I do not like reading but if you give me a course which is more of calculations, I may feel comfortable with it so if the parents are able to identify the strengths of the child, it helps him or her,” he said.

Mr Isaiah Sikayena noted that, “some choose the courses based on the schools their friends are choosing without informing their parents. Meanwhile, the parents and the teachers are the key stakeholders aside the government.”

He noted that most of the universities are now doing entrepreneurial courses for students, saying that it helps the students gain employable skills to create their own jobs when they complete school, urging all to encourage this.


The Economist also urged the government to also create an enabling environment for starters to get loans and equipment to start their own businesses in order to encourage young entrepreneurs.

“Some of the students created veronica buckets and hand sanitizers when the covid-19 came. If they are given the equipment and encourage them they will become their own entrepreneurs, that is what the country needs now,” he said.


Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
Writer’s email: [email protected]

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