The call to reintroduce career teachers and expand the number of school counsellors is a response to the evolving needs of our students.
This was highlighted by the Permanent Secretary of Education Selina Kuruleca while opening the Higher Education Commission Careers Expo 2023 at the Vodafone Arena today.
Kuruleca says it reflects a commitment to providing students with comprehensive, individualised and up-to-date career guidance that can prepare them for the rapidly changing job market.
She says the increasing pressure and anxieties associated with career choices demand a robust support system. Kuruleca says school counsellors are essential for addressing the mental health and emotional well-being of our students and adds that this year's Higher Education Careers Expo will be the first of many, and it will be an annual event.
She says the programs on show at this event provide individuals with hands-on training and experience in their chosen field, making them more attractive to potential employees.
She further says developing life skills is essential for students to succeed in their personal and professional lives.
Kuruleca says we must integrate life skills into the curriculum, provide hands-on learning opportunities, encourage extra-curricular activities, engage parents and community members in risk-in-teacher training and foster an environment that promotes life skills education.
Meanwhile, hundreds of students from schools around the Suva-Nausori corridor are flocking to the Vodafone Arena from today to check out different programs offered by the institutions that are present at the Careers Expo.
There will be panel discussions for the next three days from 6pm to 7pm until the closing of the event on Thursday.
