Unlocking students’ interest in STEM education through career guidance services: Experiences from Tanzania

Abstract

This study examined influence of career guidance services (CGSs) on promotion of students’ interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education. A total of 510 participants including students, science teachers and teacher counsellors from secondary schools in Ilala Municipality were involved in this study. Quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques were used. Binary regression model and thematic analysis employed to analyse quantitative and qualitative data respectively. The findings indicated that CGSs had an influence over science subjects’ interest across gender. Male students demonstrated high interest in science subjects with an average of 81.2 percent while female students had 58.2 percent. Further, the study revealed that career guidance promotes students’ interest in STEM by creating self-awareness. The study concludes that it is possible to have a good number of male and female scientists in Tanzania if provision of comprehensive CGSs is considered as mechanism to stimulate students’ interest in STEM.