The shortage of able qualified teachers in the Sudan has become acute during the last two decades. A large number of young people have to be recruited for the profession to meet the great demands for teachers. Thus, it has become necessary to know what factors influence young people's career choice.
This study sought to identify what factors encourage university students to become teachers and what factors discourage them from becoming teachers.
The sample for the study was composed of 400 students randomly selected--200 from the College of Education and 200 from the Colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Mathematics at the University of Khartoum (Sudan).
The instrument used was a six-checklist questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed, and the results were summarized in 20 tables.
The following are the major conclusions reached. (1) The students' career choice appeared to be influenced by both intrinsic and extrinsic motives, but the latter seemed to be more influential. (2) "Low salary," "little opportunity for advancement," and "lack of prestige" were the three major factors that discourage students from becoming teachers. (3) The students had no adequate career information in secondary schools. (4) Teachers appeared to be the largest group that most discouraged students from becoming teachers. (5) A large majority of the students entered the College of Education by default. (6) The students ranked teaching high in terms of value to the society but very low in terms of prestige and opportunity for advancement.
The overall implications of the study were discussed, and some suggestions were made with a view toward raising the status of the profession, publicizing its nobler aspects, improving conditions of service for teachers, and reassessing policies and practices of teachers' recruitment.
Finally, some further research and studies were suggested.
