A new survey by the Child Welfare League Foundation has found that many junior high school students are at a loss when it comes to the future.
The foundation conducted the survey in May and June of this year. They asked 1,400 seventh and eighth graders what they thought about their future. Nearly 32% of the respondents said they were unsure about their future, suggesting that more counseling is needed for students.
The head of the foundation, Chen Li-ru, said some of the respondents are not sure what kind of career they are interested in. Others, she said, are not sure of whether to go on to high school or vocational school.
The survey found that the choice of schools can be a point of contention between parents and children. About 70% of the respondents said their parents had helped them choose an educational path. But about a quarter of respondents said their opinions differed from their parents’.
Only about 10% said they benefited from the counseling offered by their school.
The foundation called on parents, schools and educational institutions to come together to help students make their first important choice regarding their future.