A survey released yesterday shows that among 1,556 senior local high school students, 80 percent said that they felt “uncertain” about whether their parents would support their career development, with 90 percent saying they believed that the level of emotional support from their parents was “low”.

The survey entitled “The Career Development of Macau’s Secondary School Students”, which was conducted by the Women’s General Association of Macau (commonly known as Fu Luen in Cantonese) and ​​City University of Macau (CityU) from February to this month, aimed to gain insights into local parents’ support for their children’s careers.

The results of the survey were announced at the group’s headquarters on Rua do Campo, in which a total of 1,556 valid questionnaires were collected from senior secondary students of five local full-time schools, with the number of Form Four students accounting for 50 percent.

According to the findings, more than 70 percent of the respondents said that their relationship with their parents “is generally good”, with nearly 50 percent saying that they communicate with their parents at least an hour a day and 60 percent saying that their communication with their parents focuses on their school studies.

The findings noted that 36 percent of the respondents said that their parents did not provide support in their career development, with the overall level of support being “medium”, indicating that the students were not sure whether their parents would provide support and assistance in their future career development.

More than 40 percent of the respondents said they felt that the level of parental guidance in the field of sharing of workplace knowledge and career exploration was “low”, adding that their parents lacked knowledge about their children’s career choices, according to the findings.

The group urged parents in a statement yesterday to share their personal workplace knowledge and experience with their children to broaden their perception of future career prospects while, at the same time, encouraging and assisting their children in sorting out their different life experiences, even if they frustrate them, so as to help foster positive life values in their children.

In the second half of this year, the statement noted, the group will provide parents with “career education support services”, and build an online career resource platform from where parents and their children can obtain effective career information and resources.

Speaking to reporters after the press conference, FUFA Child and Family Centre Director Sou Man I said she hoped that the survey could help the community focus on the importance of parents’ support for their children’s career planning, adding that the level of the survey’s findings was “slightly” less satisfactory than that of similar surveys released in neighbouring areas. 

Representatives of the Women’s General Association of Macau (commonly known as Fu Luen in Cantonese) and ​​City University of Macau (CityU), including FUFA Child and Family Centre Director Sou Man I (second from right), release the findings of a survey on “The Career Development of Macau’s Secondary School Students” during yesterday’s press conference at the group’s headquarters on Rua do Campo.
– Photo: Fu Luen