Who should be the one to select a career for you? Your parents or you as an individual? This question is one that is very crucial because in many cases, our parents tend to believe that their choice should be the one to consider. However, the youth these days have their own visions and ideas as well. They should be given a chance to implement them and see the possible outcome. There are various reasons as to why the youth should be able to dictate their own career paths. First of all, this is their future we are talking about. Not their parents and definitely not society’s. In order for them to thrive in the future and become successful, they need to have chosen the career because they desired it and not because it was forced upon them. The end of high school is the period where we are discovering ourselves and who we want to be in the future. Guidance is indeed needed by loved ones, nonetheless, that power should stop at just that—guidance. If a child can dictate their own career path then they will be able to elude failure to achieve certain goals they have set in their lives. “If my parents forced me to take a certain course that I didn’t particularly have in mind, this would really discourage me. I guess I would even dodge classes half the time. Forcing a child to do a course you think will benefit them doesn’t necessarily mean that they will succeed in their future prospects,” says Chanil Mwiza, a high school graduate and an intern at ZED investments. There are cases where parents didn’t have the opportunity to live out their dream career choices, either due to financial limitations or other circumstances. So they sometimes slide their dreams on to their children and live through them. Even though they certainly don’t have the worst intentions, they should let their children curve out their own way of life. “Parents ideally shouldn’t choose a career for their child. They definitely have the authority to advise their child, however, the child has the final say in the matter,” says Monica Zirimwabagabo, a mother of two. There is also a concern when it comes to the Government giving out scholarships to outstanding students. The scholarships are sometimes given based on only the marks attained, not regarding their choices in the courses they want to study. Both aspects should be taken into consideration because it is vital for a student to take a course that they are passionate about. One should start making their own choices at a young age. This helps a person grow with a sense of responsibility and understanding of themselves. Parents should be involved in their children’s life and guide them, even so they shouldn’t impose their own ambitions on them. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
