Investigating the needs for academic counseling in Sri Lanka school education systems

Abstract

School education of Sri Lanka has become very competitive. Most of the students have common targets such as entering medicine and engineering fields regardless of their inborn talents and skills. Results of G.C.E.(OIL) and G.C.E.(AIL) examinations show that many of them can not reach their expected targets. This is quite clear from the fact that a very low percentage of students are able to get higher grades in examinations held in Southern provincial ministry of Education. Therefore there is a great need to explore the factors that affect career path of students to guide them towards a better future through the success in education. This study identifies factors that influence academic success of students and presents research findings to use them for academic counseling in schools in Sri Lanka. Southern Province has been selected for the research to represent the education system of Sri Lanka. Literature survey was done to identify the current education system with reference to the identified problem. Collected data were analyzed statistically to find the relationship between each parameter that contributes to the success of students with examination results. Very good relationships between examination marks and subject related extra curricular activities, working capacity, inborn skills and field of career interest have been identified. G.C.E.(O/L) and year end examination results show a good relationship. Correlation between G.C.E.(OIL) results and G.C.E.(AIL) results show a poor relationship while the relationship between the OIL results of some technical and aesthetic subjects and some advanced level subjects show a linear relationship. According to' the data analysis, academic achievements are the most effective factor in academic success. Inborn skills, working capacity, subject related extra curricular activities and the field of career interest should be in a high consideration in academic counseling. Time' allocation, family income and support, use of educational resources such as library and internet are other supportive factors in academic success. Academic adjustment mentoring system was designed to present research findings through a web based system. Students can use that system to select ordinary level technical and aesthetic subjects and advanced level subjects.