THE PARENT INFLUENCE ON CAREER CHOICES OF PUBLIC SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN OVIA NORTH-EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT, EDO STATE.

The study investigated the parental influence on career choices of public senior secondary school students in Ovia local government area of Edo State. To achieve the purpose of this study, four research questions were raised and examined. The descriptive survey research method was adopted for the study The sample size for the study was made up of two hundred (200) students selected from 14 public secondary school in Ovia local government area of Edo State. The questionnaire titled Parent Influence on Career Choices of Public Senior Secondary School Students in Ovia local government area of Edo State, was the instrument for the data collection. An analysis of data was done using mean and standard deviation. The findings provide more evidence that there is significant influence of parents’ level of education on student’s career choice, there is also significant influence of parents’ socio-economic status and occupational background on the career choice of students. Based on the findings, some recommendations were made and it was concluded that parents should educate their children on how to make a career choice and not impose on them their own preferred career choice.