Dear counsellor,

I completed my secondary school level recently, and I wanted to join a business institution because of my passion for business courses. However, my parents are not in support of my choice; they want me to join medical school. I really don’t know what to do; kindly advise me.

Yours, Javella

Ask a family friend to talk to your parents

It’s a sign of great honour giving obedience to your parents for this makes them feel proud and respected.

However, by virtue of being a distinctive human being, your biggest loyalty should to a certain extent be driven by your passion and dreams so as to benefit from the innate gifts that your natural abilities have to offer. If you’re faced with a dilemma of parental resistance as against your dream, your task is to strategise the approach on how to convince them to endorse your career decision. If you select your career choice in a positive mind-frame with regard to your internal potentials and abilities, it will most likely be effective and profitable than a choice conceived in absolute desperation.

Sit down with your parents and modestly explain to them the necessity of taking a course that fits your abilities and interests. If your passion is to acquire specific training and education which is typically bound for business studies, it’s absolutely important that you calmly raise your passion at the top of your parental resistance. Explain to your parents the importance of doing a business course as opposed to a medicinal course. Acquiring these technical business skills and expertise will enable you to add value in new start-up situations and will give you confidence in situations that need good business acumen and management skills which are even great sources of future self employment. It will set out a unique platform and expose you to a wide range of future career opportunities with little competition and prospects of growth.

Use success stories and booming global entrepreneurs to explain to your parents how the speed of a nation’s development is directly related to the quantity and quality of business innovations and trade initiatives that are possessed by its workforce. The higher the quality of business skills possessed by a country’s workforce, the faster society grows.

Explain to them that you are much more determined to even pursue further studies along this career route and that this will sail you to even greater economic heights. You could probably involve some of your parents’ closest friends or respected family members to back you up so they could help to convince your parents to stand by you in your studies. Your humble approach will play a big role to bridge your parental and dream gap.

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YOU DEBATE

Mary Ingabire, student

It’s good that you are passionate about something, but you need to be wise and not let anything stand in the way with your education. Don’t blame your parents for not seeing the future in your course; parents always have a way they look at education. However, consider having an honest discussion about your passion and why you are on the right track with the course of your choice.

James Kabera, varsity student

Sit your parents down and open up about your passion and career choice. You might find they are not aware of what your passion is all about. So take the initiative to reach out to them and enlighten them about your goals and future plans. Most importantly, show them how their support can make a difference in life.

Furigence Sabyenda, businessman

As a young person you have to compromise. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Learn to listen and act humbly towards your parents. Besides, if you can’t support yourself now, it’s good that you embrace the course that your parents can sustain. Remember, learning never ends and your passion for business isn’t lost.

Gilbert Hategikimana, teacher

Consider talking to a relative or family friend to help you explain to your parents how important it is for a student to follow his/her passion. It might be difficult to make your point clear to your parents, and even hard for them to find sense in what you opt to pursue. So it’s important that you involve another person to assist you achieve your goal.

By Dennis Agaba