Two hundred and thirty nine respondents who successfully completed the questionnaires in the school were used for the study. Their demographic variables selected for the study were sex, designation, working experience and highest educational qualification. Among the demographic variables of the students considered of relevance and therefore selected along their expressed opinion on the relationship between locus of control, Parental education and their career choices in the college were place of residence, religion, marital status, sex and age. Others were course combination, type of family from which the students come, the family income and the type of sponsorship they enjoy in the college. Each of the demographic characteristics is presented in a table of frequencies and percentages as shown below.
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Table 4.1.1: Classifications of the Students by Location of Residence
Variable Variable options Frequency Percentage
Place of living Rural 130 54.4
Urban 109 45.6
Total 239 100.0
The table revealed that 54.4% of the students were from rural settings while 109 or 45.6% were from urban settings. These classifications imply that most of the students may not have access to industrialized environment and therefore skills required for such industries and the associated personnel.
Table 4.1.2: Classifications of the Students by their Religious Affiliations
Variable Variable options Frequency Percentage
Religion Islam 151 63.2
Christianity 88 36.8
Total 239 100.0
By religious affiliation, 151 or 63.2% of the students belongs to the Islamic faith while 88 or 36.8% were Christians. The distribution implies that the major religions in the college were well represented in the study.
Table 4.1.3: Classifications of the Students by their Marital Statuses
Variable Variable options Frequency Percentage
Marital status Single 282 87.8
Married 29 12.1
Total 239 100.0
Most of the students (282 or 87.8%) were single. Only 29 or 12.1% of the total number were married. This would mean that most of the students were at the stage
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where they have to make decisions for the economic sustenance especially occupational choices.
Table 4.1.4: Classifications of the Students by their Age Groupings
Variable Variable options Frequency Percentage
Age 15-20years 140 58.6
21-25years 70 29.3
26-30years 13 5.4
31-35years 7 2.9
Above 35years 9 3.8
Total 239 100.0
In terms of age distribution, 140 or 58.6% of the students were between 15 to 20years of age. This group constituted the highest percentage among the respondents. Those who were between 21 and 25years were 70 or 29.3% while 13 or 5.4% of the students were between 26 and 30years. Only 7 or 2.9% and 9 or 3.8% of the students were between 31 and 35years and above 35years respectively. This distribution shows that the students were completely within the target of the study in terms of determining the relationship between locus of control, Parental education and their career aspirations.
Table 4.1.5: Classifications of the Students by their Subject Combinations
Variable Variable options Frequency Percentage
Course combination Pre-science 53 22.2
Pre-language 115 48.1
Pre-business 71 29.7
Total 239 100.0
The students were completely distributed within three disciplines of Pre-science (53 or 22.2%), Pre-language (115 or 48.1%) and Pre-business (71 or 29.7%). Of the three disciplines, Pre-language had the highest population and this is represented proportionately in this study. The least populated discipline was the Pre-science as indicated in the table.
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Table 4.1.6: Classifications of the Students by Type of Family they Came From
Variable Variable options Frequency Percentage
Type of family Monogamous 133 55.6
Polygamous 116 44.4
Total 239 100.0
From the distributions in the table, students who come from monogamous family were more and accounted for 133 or 55.6% of the total while those from polygamous family were 116 or 44.4%. The family set up is expected to bear on the students’
psychological stability but not the focus or scope of the present study. Table 4.1.7 shows the educational background of the students’ parents.
Table 4.1.7: Classifications of the Parents by their Educational Background
Educational Father Mother
qualification Freq. % Freq. %
No formal Education 30 12.5 37 15.5
Primary 42 17.6 63 26.4
Secondary 48 20.1 66 27.6
NCE/Diploma 25 10.5 37 15.5
HND/Degree 34 14.2 20 8.4
Master/doctorate 60 25.1 16 6.7
Total 239 100.0 239 100.0
In terms of educational background, the parents could be said to be even distributed across the different educational categorizations presented in the table. Those with no formal education were 12.5% among the male parents while female parents have 15.5%
of no formal education. For those with primary school certificates, the male parents were 47 or 17.6% while the female parents were 63 or 26.4% and for secondary school education the males were 48 or 20.1% and the female were 66 or 27.6%. Male parents who had the National Certificate in Education (NCE) or their Diploma equivalent were
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25 or 10.5% while the female were 37 or 15.5%. Males with Higher National Diploma or University degree were 34 or 14.2% while their female counterparts were 20 or 8.4%.
Those with Master degree and above were 60 or 25.1% among the male parents while the female were 16 or 6.7%. The importance of this variable lies in its influence on the career aspiration of the students in the college.
Table 4.1.8: Classifications of the Students by Sponsorship in the College
Variables Variable options Frequency Percentage
Sponsorship State government 21 8.8
local government 11 4.6
Parents 196 82.0
Self 11 4.6
Total 239 100.0
Sponsorship is mainly by parents of the students. Of the total, 196 or 82.0% were of this category. Only few were sponsored into the college by state (21 or 8.8%) and the local government council (11 or 4.6%). But 11 or 4.6 of the students said they were sponsoring themselves in the college.