Career Day is an event held at schools to introduce students to a wide range of career options. The main objective of Career Day is to provide students with information about different professions, industries, and career paths so that they can make informed decisions about their future.
During career day, professionals from various fields are invited to share their experiences, provide insights into their work, and answer students’ questions. In the Upper East Region, for instance, Career Day is organised for only pupils who are lucky to attend private schools.
However, the Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM), a non-profit organisation based in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region and ActionAid Ghana are changing the narrative by ensuring that pupils and students in the region also have the opportunity to learn about various career options and be inspired by successful professionals.
The Career Day which was held in 4 schools in the Talensi and Nabdam districts formed part of several interventions that WOM and ActionAid Ghana doing to increase school enrollment and retention of students in the selected districts. These schools are the Sekote Primary/Junior High School and Nangodi Primary/Junior High School in the Nabdam district and the Yagzoore JHS/Primary and Tongo-Beo JHS/Primary School in the Talensi district.
A Child Sponsorship Officer at the Widows and Orphans Movement, Nancy Awinbisa Amiziah said before the Career Day celebration, a planning meeting was held with headteachers of the schools, officials from the Ghana Education Service, and other stakeholders and it was agreed to include a military officer, a lawyer and a doctor to interact with the students.
She explained that the Career Day activity tries to expose the students and pupils to different career paths in the job market for them to strive hard to achieve in the future.
“Also, we want to increase their interaction among themselves and promote teaching and learning in the schools. We are hoping that what we are doing would trigger something in the students to take their studies seriously and a school dropout rate would reduce in the Nabdam and Talensi districts”, she added.
At the Sekote primary school to interact with the students and pupils on Wednesday was Edna Ivy Adabayeri, a lawyer for the Upper East Regional Lands Commission and Registrar of Lands. Lawyer Adabayeri explained the challenges she faced growing up in a community in Navrongo and navigating through to become a lawyer.
“What I want you to know is that I also went through school like you. I failed my exams throughout my journey but I never gave up. Each time I fail, I try again and eventually, I get it. You must be determined, focused on what you want to do in life”
She entreated the students to be humble, and hardworking, and cultivate the habit of reading to become lawyers.
Next was a doctor, Dr. Berta Gibil, a paediatrician at the Upper East Regional Hospital. According to Dr. Gibil, she was driven to become a doctor because of her interest in helping the vulnerable in society. The native of Tongo-Wakii who grew up in Tamale in the Northern region said even though her parents doubted her in the career she chose, they supported her in all they could.
She also talked about the importance of good health and encouraged the students to take care of their bodies and pursue careers in the medical field if they were interested
Lastly, the military officer, WO II Addo Richard Adu shared his experiences in the army and talked about the importance of serving one’s country. He discussed the different roles within the military and the skills required to succeed in the armed forces. He also highlighted the discipline and commitment needed to be a soldier and encouraged the students to consider a career in the military if they were interested in protecting and serving the country.
WOM and ActionAid Ghana also supported 200 needy and orphan students in all 4 schools with books
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Sekote|Ghana
