Tracer study of advanced level physical science stream school leavers in selected provinces
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Date
2008
Authors
Hubert, A. N. H.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Peradeniya
Abstract
In 1998, some changes were made to the General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level) curricula in keeping with the changed requirements for admission to the national universities. This was in link with the 1997 educational reforms which was aimed at streamlining the educated manpower requirements that are needed for the socio- economic development of the country.
The present tracer study discusses how far the G.C.E (A/L) physical science streamstudents achieved these goals. The study was limited to the G.C_E. (A/L) Physical Science Stream students who sat the examination from the year 2000 to 2004, to studytheir progresses in university education and employment status. For this purpose a sample of 750 G.C.E. (A/L) Physical Science School leavers in the said period were selected in the Central, Northern, Eastern and North Western Provinces.
A structured questionnaire was used as a major data collection instrument. The questionnaire was developed according to our aim of the research and was distributed among the sample by mail and by making visits to their homes. Some students were also interviewed to clarify their further details and reduced the gaps appeared in the responses indicated in the questionnaire. The data were initially sorted, entered to the computer and were analyzed by percentage wise and statistically. The data based on the interviews were also analyzed before arriving at conclusions.
It was evident from the study that 26.12 % (76) of the Physical Science Stream school leavers were employed and 73.88 % (215) were unemployed. Of the employed and unemployed categories 76.29% were engaged in further studies. In the employed school leavers 65.79% were doing the jobs related to their field of study while 34.21% were iv doing jobs that are not related to the study field. In the employed sample, 55.26% had the hope of going abroad to find a satisfactory job. There was no correlation between the primary education and G.C.E. (A/L) performance. Also there was very weak correlation between secondary educations G.C.E. (O/L) and G.C.E. (A/L) performance.
According to the students’ views the major difficulties to find a job were low standard of English knowledge and the absence of required work experience. They mentioned that lack of knowledge in IT and absence of opportunities in the area of interest was also the reasons for finding a job.
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Keywords
Science Education