CHAPTER I

The Problem and Its Background

Introduction

Senior High School (SHS) covers the last two years

of the K to 12 program and includes 11 and 12. In

SHS, Students will go through a core curriculum and

subjects under a track of their choice.

Senior High School is two years of specialized upper

secondary education; students may choose a specialization

based on aptitude, interests, and school capacity. The choice

of career track will define the content of the subjects a

student will take in Grades 11 and 12. Each student in Senior

High School can choose among three tracks: Academic;

Technical-Vocational-Livelihood; and Sports and Arts. The

Academic track includes three strands: Business, Accountancy,

Management (BAM); Humanities, Education, Social Sciences

(HESS); and Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics

(STEM).

5,965 public schools, operate and are funded by DepEd,

offering grade 11 in 2016 and grade 12 in 2017. These

public schools utilize new classrooms and facilities

constructed under the 2014, 2015 and 2016 budgets of

DepEd or other fund sources, or use available

facilities for Senior High School.

In addition, 4,711 private high schools, private

and public universities and colleges, technical –

vocational schools, and Philippine schools overseas are

offering grade 11 in 2016 and Grade 12 in 2017.

There are different factors that affect their

chosen STRAND in Senior High. Respect for family is

one of the most influential factors that affects the

Senior students for their career decision. Family

factor tend to be superior about choosing a course

for their children to continue the legacy of their

family courses or profession.

Economic factors include by means of choosing their

strand. Their status in life can affect the chosen

course they want, some of the respondents will

depend on the economic status to get their profession.

It may affect also themselves because not everyone

tend to choose what STRAND they afford because there

are lots of option or choice of what they really

want. But because of life status, it plots on the

STRAND where they are belong.

 Self – interest is getting what they really want,

they will decide on their own profession where the

passion brought them, this will affect their chosen

STRAND because some students are depending to what

their parents want them to take. Students grew up

with parents, some are superior with their guardians

but mostly the parents dictates what profession they

will take.

Peer Group is also considered one of the factors.

Students are most likely dependable of what society

they have or the group they belong. It can affect

their perception to choose what they really want. It

can encourage one person to another, for becoming

dependable for the group. Some students vanish their

own perception just to obey the rules and choose

their group. Sometimes, they seek the right path but most

regret occurs.

Statement of the Problem

This research study will be conducted to establish

information on the Decision-Making Analysis of factors

affecting Senior High School students of NEUST – Lab High

in choosing their strand .

Research questions will be raised by the

researchers and specifically, will seek the answers to

the following questions.

1. How may the profile of the respondents be described

1.1 age;

1.2 gender;

1.3 status; and

1.4 strand

2. How may the factors affecting Senior High

School students of NEUST LAB High in choosing their

strand be described in terms of:

2.1 family factor;

2.2 economic factor;

2.3 self interest; and

2.4 peer group

 Republic of the Philippines

Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology

College of Management in Business Technology

Survey Questionnaire on Factors Affecting Senior High

School Students of NEUST Lab - High in choosing their strand.

Name: (optional)

Direction: Please fill in the following by putting a

check on the space provided that corresponds to your

answer.

I. Profile of the Respondents

1. Age 2. Gender

___14 ____Male

___15 ____Female

___16

___17

___others (please specify) _______________________

 3. STRAND

___STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)

___GAS (General Academic Strand)

___ABM (Accountancy, Business and Management)

___HUMSS (Humanities and Social Sciences)

___others (please specify) ________________________

II. Factors Affecting Senior High School Students of

NEUST - LAB High in choosing their Strand.

Direction:

The following statements refer to the Factors

Affecting Senior High School Students of NEUST – LAB

High in choosing their Strand in College. Kindly answer

each item as accurately as you can. Please check the box

with the corresponding numerical rating. Refer to the table

of equivalence below.

Numerical Descriptive
Equivalent Equivalent
4 Strongly Agree
3 Agree
2 Disagree
1 Strongly disagree
 FAMILY FACTOR 1 2 3 4

1 This Strand is chosen

by my parents

2 My cousin takes the

same Strand

3 It is the Strand that

my parents can afford

4 It is in line with our

family business

5 My parents find this

course profitable and

practical

ECONOMIC FACTOR

1 It is in demand Strand

2 There is availability of

the job in the near

future
3 There is economic

stability due to High

salary when employed

4 This Strand offers

professional growth

5 This Strand offers

Scholarship

SELF INTEREST

1 It is my own choice

2 I am good in verbal

communication

3 I have good managerial

skills

4 I am inclined with the

business

5 This is my dream job in

the future

6 I want to broaden my

knowledge and skills

7 I want to work in a

company

8 1 am good in numbers

9 I preferred this strand as

my “childhood dream” work

10 This strand is connected to

my favorite subject

PEER GROUP

1 My Friends and I choose

this Strand

2 My best friend convinced

me to choose his/her

chosen

3 All my friends choose

the Strand and I join

them

4 My friend’s choice of

school affects my decision

in choosing a strand

5 My friend’s preference of

course affects my decision

in choosing a strand
Theoretical Framework

Several researchers have carefully conducted

studies in identifying factors influencing students’

career choices among secondary school students all over

the world. Career choice has become a complex task among

students in the face of ever changing technology in the

information sector. The term career is broadly defined

as all life time roles people play including students,

parents, employees, retirees and employers.

The complexity of career decision making among

individuals was earlier recognized by career theorists such

as super (1957), Ginsburg, et al (1951), Tiedeman and O’hara

(1953), and Gelatt decision making model (1962). All the above

theorists recognized that individual decision-making styles

play significant part in the whole process of career

development, and that gender, personal interests, and

learning experiences were all seen as factors affecting

students’ career choices.

They recognized that career choice among students was

influenced by personality, interests, self-concept, cultural

identity, globalization, family and social support. While,

Stanley (1996) observed that prestige of a profession was a

strong motivating factor influencing students in making

career choices. Arabian Journal of Business and Management

Review (OMAN Chapter) Vol. 4, No.4; November. 2014 21

Similarly, Achebe (1984) investigated the career choice of

boys and girls, both in urban and rural schools, observed

girls having greater preference for middle level jobs than

boys.

Ezeonu (2013) conducted a review on career choice among

primary and secondary school students on basic issues that

affect career choice identified knowledge of the job, self-

knowledge, parental and peer group constraints, and parental

financial status influenced career choice pattern of

students. Also, Ogunlade and Akeredolu (2012) examined the

influence of counselling on career preference among secondary

school student in Ekiti State concluded that there were

significant differences in external influence as factors. The

study further revealed that significant difference existed

among male and female students, showing gender as a factor.

In addition, Madu (2011) conducted a study based on the impact

of gender on academic performance on 160 Arts-Related

subjects in Nasarawa State University concluded that female

students preformed significantly better than males in Arts-

Related subjects.

Similarly, Buabeng, et al (2012) studied female senior

high school students’ interest in physics as course of study

at the University level in Ghana, concluded that female

students do not prefer physics as a course of study at the

University level due to limited employment opportunities for

females in physics as a career. Also parental influences have

been recognized as a determining factor in students’ career

decision-making. These influences could be either positive or

negative on their decisions (Rainey and Borders 1997; Sebald

1989).

Sometimes parental influence tends to ignore the child’s

personal interest. Individual interest in making career

choice is central in trait and factor theory of career

decision making. In every endeavor of human life, interest of

the doer is very crucial for success. In other words, career

interest is defined as preference for specific life events

that often play a major role in career decision making and

choice.

Basically, three types of career interests are

distinguished: Expressed interests are those interests that

are verbally reported by the student. “I would like to work

as medical doctor”. Manifest interests refer to the events in

which individuals engage. For example, an individual who

enjoys writing may manifest his or her interest by doing

Journalistic writing. While tested interests are shown in an

individual’s knowledge of a specific area as measured by

standardized objective tests.

The researchers believed that Decision-Making

Analysis can help identify and understand key

issues about the factors affecting Senior High

Students in choosing their STRAND. Another

advantage of a decision- making analysis is that

it concentrates on the most important factors

affecting the senior students.

The researchers chose this theory as guide

in pursuing this research study for the reasons

that decision making affects the senior students in

choosing their strand.

At the end of some job lines, behind many college

students are the high school students who may have lacked

either money, or the grades, or the inclination, for

higher education. This line suggests an example of yet

another set of opportunities that present themselves as

the result of many factors in combination.

 INPUT

1. How may the profile of the respondents be

described in terms of:

1.1 age;
1.2 gender;
1.3 status; and
1.4 STRAND

2. How may the Factors Affecting Senior High

School Students of NEUST-LAB high in choosing
their courses be described in terms of:

2.1 family factor;

2.2 economic factor;
2.3 self- interest; and
2.4 peer group

PROCESS
Survey Questionnaire
Observation
Interview

OUTPUT

Implications of the study of Factors Affecting Senior

Students in choosing their Strand.

Figure 1. Research Paradigm

Scope and Delimitation

The research study focused on the Factors Affecting

Senior High School Students of NEUST-LAB high in choosing

their Strand. The respondents will be 20% of the population

of NEUST-LAB high Senior Students.

The study was conducted in 1st Semester of Academic Year

2016-2017 in Nueva Ecija University of Science and

Technology under the Department of College Business

Technology.

Significance of the Study

The Researchers believed that this research study will

not only answer the research questions raised in the later

part but will also be beneficial to the following:

For this study helps us for the future trends or in

demand strand for the next generation.

To aspiring young students, this will help them in

preparing their selves to be educated for their chosen

course and to pursue their dreams.

To the future researchers, it may serve as basis for

the foundation of facts for related and aims to give them

accurate and positive information derived from actual

information and data.

Definition of Terms

The following terms are defined according to their

operational use in the study.

HUMSS- ( Humanities and Social Sciences)Strand this is

one of the strand offering for the senior students.

STEM- ( Science, Technology, Engineering and

Mathematics) sample subjects are: Pre- Calculus, Basic

Calculus, General Biology 1, Gen. Bio 2, Gen. Physics 1 and

2 and etc.

GAS- ( General Academic Strand) sample subjects are:

HUM 1 and 2, Social Science 1, Applied Economics,

Organization Management and etc.

ABM- ( Accountancy, Business and Management) sample

subjects are: Applied Economics, Business Ethics and Social

Responsibility, Business Math, Business Finance and etc.