Reshaping secondary school students’ career planning through school leadership and school programmes in Rombo district.

Choosing the right future careers is becoming more and more important for the students as it influences their aspirations. Students in secondary schools have to take into account several considerations when choosing their future careers. It had been reported that, inadequate career services available to youth have affected their ability to make informed career decision, a situation which has caused serious unemployment problems in the continent in recent years. The purpose of this study was to examine how school leadership and school programmes reshape secondary school students’ career plans at Rombo district. The objectives of this study were, to identify the school programmes which enhance secondary school students’ career planning, to explore the factors which influence secondary school students’ career planning, to examine how students are provided with career guidance and counseling services in planning their future careers, to identify the strategies used by school leaders in assisting secondary school students to plan their future careers and to explore the challenges facing secondary school students’ career planning implementation.The study employed qualitative approach; specifically embedded single case study design. The area of study was Rombo District at Kilimanjaro region in Tanzania. Purposeful sampling was used to select 41 participants which included 03 heads of schools, 05 academic masters,06 teachers, 06 guidance and counseling teachers and 21 students from 06 schools.The collection of data was done through interviews, focus group discussion, observation and documentary review. Miles and Huberman (1994) model of qualitative data was used as the method of data analysis.The study found that minority of students were very happy with their career choices though it was somehow difficult to maintain the chosen careers due to the limited number of career resources and personnel at schools. School programmes like debates, sports, clubs, remedial teaching, study tour and school projects were seen as essential tool of reshaping and developing students’ careers though some challenges were noted. The study revealed that, secondary school students seldom receive career guidance and counseling services at schools due to the absence of career specialized officers. The study noted several challenges which face secondary students’ career planning process which include lack of specific materials and resources about careers,limited higher level of education loan provision, lack of proper guideline about career from curriculum and electricity and internet services inaccessibility. Based on these findings the study recommends that educational planners, policy makers and all educational stakeholders must place more emphasis on provision of holistic career education and high consistent modification of curriculum should be of concern in order to achieve the learning goals, labour market goals and social equity goals in the nation as postulated by Organization for Economic Co-operation Development.