By Victor Nwegede
The sensitization programme was flagged off yesterday by Special Adviser to the Ebonyi State Governor on Student Affairs, Comrade Joshua Nwafor alongside his counterpart on Student Mobilization, Princess Angel Odono.
The duo emphasized the need for career guidance among Secondary School students and commended Governor Francis Nwifuru for his student-friendly programmes and support to the education sector in the state.
In his remarks at Ezetugbala Memorial Secondary School Amudo in Ezza South LGA, Iboko Secondary School and Station Community Vocational Secondary School Ndiogbu in Izzi LGA, among other schools cutting across the three senatorial districts in the state, the NAESS National President, Comrade Collins Ogbonna said the association embarked on the programme to nurture the future of Ebonyi students, in line with the administration agenda of Governor Francis Nwifuru anchored on the People's Charted of Needs.
The President further harped on the need to provide early career guidance for secondary School students to avert the menace of graduating without being employed.
"We are your senior colleagues, brothers and sisters, and as well your teachers. The major aim of being here is to come and open your brain more, to advise you to make the right choice of career while getting into the tertiary institution and become a self-reliant, wealth creator and employer of labour instead of being a liability in the society," he hinted.
A Guest Lecturer and former Coordinator of the National Association of Nigerian Students in South-East and South-South Zones, Dr Olisaemeka Nwuruku, advised secondary students to choose self-employed courses, noting that over 90 per cent of graduates remain job seekers nowadays for studying courses that could not make them self-reliant after graduation.
Dr Nwuruku recommended that secondary students should start early to pick an interest to study courses such as medicine and surgery, nursing, pharmacy, medical laboratory, pharmacy, other relevant health courses, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, architecture, building technology, computer science, law, other ones that would make them self reliant after graduating from the higher institution.
"I know some of you have brothers or sisters already in the high institution, some of you might have started planning for your WAEC, NECO or JAMB. It's not that you read political science will make you a politician. We are here to sensitize you on your career choice - a deliberate selection of a profession.
"It's obvious there are no white collar jobs in society - it's very scarce now; as someone who reads 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. We wouldn't like you to make similar mistakes.
"For you to have a Masters Degree, you can't even get a job in society. The benefit is we have to come to coach you to get the courses that are self-employed, such as medicine, pharmacy, nursing, engineering courses, even computer, social work and law because no serious lawyer is in the village; courses like Engineering is self-employed - this is a very resourceful and productive field of study.
"There are still courses such as vocational education where you can learn to do web design, furniture, and bricklaying. We are here to offer you this knowledge to enable you to combine it with what your teacher has been telling you.
"Don't allow pride, stubbornness and ego to massage you because it will rob you of the greater future if you neglect the right tips. Make yourself acquitted to courses that can make you self-employed and you will live not to regret it," Nwuruku advised.
The Secretary of the Association, Comrade Victor Onyemaechi Uguru and Senator of the body representing Izzi LGA, Comrade Israel Ebubechi Okemini lectured the secondary students on cleanliness, career guidance, the need to be respectful and supportive to their parents and guardians as well as cautioned them on the dangers of engaging in cultism.
Reacting, 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 expressed joy over the sensitization and commended the association, noting that its programme should be sustained in considering its huge positive impacts on secondary students before enrolling into higher institution.
