THE REASONS BEHIND THE STUDENTS’ CHOICES OF CERTAIN MAJORS AND ITS IMPACT ON SOCIETAL

NEEDS Dr. Zaha Alsuwailan

Dr. Kalthoum AlkandariKuwait University

One of the main goals of the college of education is to provide a workforce for society. Many schools in different areas are in need of teachers in different subjects. Yet, many schools have shortages of teachers in certain majors which has led to outsourcing to foreign labour .

Introduction

This study aims to determine the personal and social reasons behind the students' selections of certain majors in the college of education at both Kuwait University and PAAT. It also measures the effect of the students' choices on society’s needs.

Purpose of the Study

The quantitative research of this study answers the following questions:

1- What are the most and least popular majors among the students in the college of education?2- What are the majors that have reached a sufficient level in public schools?

Methodology

3- Is there an alignment between the outputs of the college of education and society’s needs?

4- What are the reasons behind the students’ heading toward certain majors in the college of education?

This study adopted a quantitative study approach to investigate the reasons behind the students’ choices of certain majors. A questionnaire was adopted in order to understand the impact of the students’ personal and societal motivation on their choices.

A statistic was also provided from the Ministry of Education in this study to see if there was an alignment between the outcomes of the college of education and the public schools’ needs.

Data Collection

Q1:What are the most and least popular majors among the students in the college of education?

Major Frequency

Percent%

1 English Language 121 14.8

2 Kindergarten 196 9.2

3 Psychology 114 20.1

4 Islamic Studies 359 39.6

5 History 58 22.5

6 Mathematics 105 44.5

7 Chemistry 17 45.3

Major Frequency Percent%8 Geology 5 45.5

9 Arabic Language 152 52.6

10 Social Science 42 54.6

11 Geography 36 56.3

12 Philosophy 6 56.5

13 Physical Education 29 57.9

14 Physics 5 58.1

Major Frequency Percent%

15 Biology 19 59.0

16 Social Studies 240 70.2

17 Science 49 72.5

18 Computer 148 79.4

• The most popular major among the students in the college of education?

Islamic Studies 359, Social Studies 240, Kindergarten 196.

• The least popular major among the students in the college of education?

• Philosophy 6, physics 5, Geology 5.

Q2:What are the majors that have reached a sufficient level in public schools?

Subject Estimated Needs (2008-2018)

Current Occupied Subjects in

Public schoolsKuwaiti Non-

Kuwaiti

Islamic Studies

3512 3128 637

Social Studies 1617 1766 290

Kindergarten 4719 3959 _____

Ministry of Education Statistics

Q3:Is there an alignment between the outputs of the college of education and society’s needs?

It Appears from the previous table that there are some subjects that have become an overload in some schools. Yet the alignment is somehow missing.

Q4:What are the reasons behind the students’ heading toward certain majors in the college of education?

Chart Title

Personal Reasons

70%

social Reasons

30%

Students needs to be guided to different majors from high schools.

Social studies, Islamic Studies and Kindergarten majors in the college of Education need to be joined to other majors. E.g (Kindergarten and Psychology, Islamic Studies and Arabic, Social Studies and Philosophy).

Students need to be directed to certain majors in the College of Education.

Recommendations

Questions?????