Students in Pakistan suffer from multiple types of educational problems. Absence of career counseling is most important issue among them.
After or during their educational and learning phase the students constantly remain in need of proper counseling regarding choice of subjects, groups and also guidance to work in particular direction so that they can achieve their aspired goal. The counsel, after assessing their educational tendency and potential, advise them to opt for certain field of interest that they consider suitable for themselves.
But, unfortunately, availability of any such counseling is either rare or almost nonexistent in the country. In such bleak condition a student finds no way out than either to follow the confused crowd or the suggestions of his family or friends. Thus they are made to head for the direction they find others moving unwittingly. For example, the girls, most of the time select either medical or teaching field for they are time and again told that those were the most suitable fields for them. No matter, they lack even an iota of interest in them. Boys are also made to go the way they are told by others. Consequently, one finds thousands of both gender competitors appearing in the entry test for few hundred available medical seats in the relevant institutions.
The interested, hardworking and lucky students get through those tests and admitted in medical institutions. Whereas, the students lagging behind in merit are disheartened and depressed.
Another major handicap is availability of reliable census and figures about the required skilled persons to fill the mentioned number of positions in different departments and professions. Consequently, either unnecessary hiring is done, where, less people were required or almost none, where more employees were needed.
In such an un supporting and uncertain situations, students selecting wrong discipline either under family pressure or wrong guidance often get fed up very easily and de motivated. Even if they clear all examinations and employed at a certain department, fail to perform there to the required level because of their innate indifference.
All those factors leave long lasting negative impacts not only on the field they work in but also on their own person.
What is required is that there should be counseling cells in all the educational institutions, where from, the students needing guidance regarding choice of career can easily be facilitated.
At family level, the immediate members, especially, parents should provide proper guidance to their children as per their own knowledge then allow them to decide independently, involving their own inclination and interests. That procedure will ultimately pave better and brighter path for progress and prosperity of the individual concerned, the society he lives in and the country as a whole.
