Parents dictating career paths

I am a Form Four graduate from Dodoma. I passed my O-level with excellent results, earning a division one with A’s in all subjects. With these results, I have the freedom to select any combination of A-levels and choose a career that truly matters to me. The problem is my parents insist I must study science subjects for A-level and then pursue medicine, even though my passion is in journalism. They say I am just a naive 15-year-old and will regret my current decision, so they believe it is their duty to guide me. I resisted. They threaten to withdraw financial support if I refuse. I feel trapped between family pressure and my own aspirations. Does Tanzanian law give me any right to choose my career path freely?

GE, Dodoma

It is not uncommon for high-achieving students to face tension between their own aspirations and their parents’ expectations. In your case, the dilemma is clear: you have excelled in your O-levels and wish to pursue journalism, yet your parents insist on science subjects and a medical career. Their intentions are not malicious. Perhaps they believe medicine offers stability and prestige, and they feel it is their duty to guide you. However, good intentions can sometimes conflict with fundamental rights, and the law provides clarity on where the boundaries lie.

First, the Law of the Child Act, Cap. 13 [R.E. 2023]recognises that children have rights to development, participation, and protection. Section 11 specifically provides that a child shall have a right of opinion and no person shall deprive a child capable of forming views the right to express an opinion, to be listened to and to participate in decisions which affect his well-being. This means every child has the right to express their views freely in all matters affecting them, and those views must be given due weight according to the child’s age and maturity. At 15 years old, you may be regarded as mature enough to make informed decisions about your future. Where parents intervene, the decision must be in your best interest.

Second, Tanzania is bound by international conventions that reinforce these protections. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) requires countries to have laws that guarantee the child’s right to be heard in decisions affecting them. Similarly, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) emphasises that children must be allowed to develop their talents and abilities to their fullest potential. Both instruments emphasise that parental guidance should be in the child’s best interests, by respecting the child’s evolving capacities and personal aspirations.

Finally, withdrawing financial support as a form of coercion raises serious concerns. It may not amount to a criminal offence, but it conflicts with the spirit of both Tanzanian law and international child rights standards. The law recognises your autonomy in choosing your career path, even if family expectations make the choice difficult in practice. We encourage you to have a conversation with your parents, and if nothing materialises, a social worker can be involved to guide you to the best outcome for both parties.