Journal of Education and Practice ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper ISSN 2222-2!!" (#nline $ol.%& No.

2%& 2'13

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Counsellors Perception of Problems Facing Guidance and Counselling Services in Nigerian Schools
(a)id .#. *rowolo P+( Student *ffairs (i)ision(,ounselling -nit & .ederal -ni)ersit/ 0afia& Nasarawa State& Nigeria. da)idarowolo46@gmail.com Abstract 1+e stud/ in)estigated pro2le3s facing 4uidance and ,ounselling ser)ices in secondar/ sc+ools as percei)ed 2/ t+e Sc+ools5 ,ounsellors. 1+e design for t+e stud/ is descripti)e of t+e sur)e/ t/pe. 1+e population was 3ade of all t+e practicing 4uidance ,ounsellors in Nasarawa state secondar/ sc+ools .*ll t+e participator/ Sc+ool ,ounselors in an annual congress +eld at t+e state capital constituted t+e sa3ple for t+e stud/. In all 1'' ,ounsellors were used for t+e stud/. * researc+er designed 6uestionnaire titled 7,ounsellor5s pro2le3s Perception In)entor/8 & )alidated for face and content wit+ relia2ilit/ coefficient of '.7% 2/ test-retest 3et+od was used to collect infor3ation fro3 t+e respondents. 1wo +/pot+eses were raised at '.'5 le)el of significace. 9esult s+owed t+at t+e pro2le3s percei)ed 2/ ,ounsellors were in t+e following order of intensit/ as follows: wrong idea of counselling 2/ Principals and ot+er 3e32ers of staff& assigning counselors to duties ot+er t+an counselling& lac; of counselling office& lac; of fund to purc+ase 3aterials for counselling and non-e<posure to in ser)ice training . 1+ere was no gender difference in counsellors5 perception of pro2le3s facing t+e practice of counselling in t+e state. 1+ere was no significant difference in t+e perception of counselors5 pro2le3s in sc+ools 2ased on ,ounsellors5 /ears of e<perience. It was reco33ended t+at counselling s+ould 2e a full-ti3e =o2 for ,ounsellors and t+e/ s+ould 2e e<posed to wor;s+ops and se3inars. Introduction ,ounselling according to Idowu (1>>' is a process of planned inter)ention wit+in a sc+ool s/ste3 2/ w+ic+ t+e total de)elop3ent of students are sti3ulated in areas relating to t+eir personal& social& career& e3otional and acade3ic concerns. ,ounselling is t+us an integral part of t+e education process. ?a;inde (1>!5 defined ,ounselling as an enlig+tened process w+ere2/ people +elp people 2/ facilitating growt+ de)elop3ent and positi)e c+ange t+roug+ an e<ercise of self understanding. Professor Ji2ril *3inu& a for3er 3inister of Education& in +is opening address at t+e 12t+National annual conference of t+e ,ounselling *ssociation of Nigeria +eld at t+e -ni)ersit/ of ?aiduguri in august 1>!!& noted t+us@ 71+e National polic/ on Education appreciates t+at for our educational s/ste3 to succeed& guidance and counselling +as a 3a=or role to pla/ . 1+e transition .ro3 stage to t+e ne<t stage of t+e s/ste3 is 3ade easier wit+ t+e assistance #f guidance counselors. 1+e educational s/ste3 +as continuous assess3ent as its 2edroc; and it is essential t+at ade6uate cu3ulati)e records is one of t+e 3a=or functions of t+e counselor. 1+ese and se)eral ot+er functions are e<pected to 2e perfor3ed 2/ t+e counselor.8 4enerall/& students are faced wit+ appropriate )ocational c+oices& e3otional inade6uac/ and social-personal pro2le3s. 1o o)erco3e all for3s of life inade6uacies& guidance and counselling pro)ides appropriate assistance to students to 2etter understand and accept t+e3sel)es& t+eir personalities& endow3ent& t+eir strengt+s and wea;nesses& t+eir attitudes and wort+ as uni6ue indi)iduals. 1+is is t+e funda3ental reason for t+e introduction of guidance and counselling ser)ice. Aowe)er& sc+ool counselors are confronted wit+ series of issues and c+allenges suc+ as non-recognition of counselling as a professional& w+at roles are e<pected of sc+ool counselors. (enga (1>!3 su23itted t+at t+e pu2lic +a)e a +aB/& confused and 2lurred perception of cousellors5 roles and functions. I;e3e and Nwo/e (1>!! disco)ered t+at w+en ,ounsellors are posted to sc+ools& Principals assigned duties to t+e3 according to t+eir sc+ools5 need. ?ost of t+e ti3es& t+e ,ounsellors 3a/ 2e as;ed to pla/ t+e role of $ice-Principal& su2=ect teac+ers& la2our 3aster or sc+ool cler;. *2olarinwa (2''! opined t+at for an/ successful organiBation of an/ guidance and counselling progra3 & atte3pt s+ould 2e 3ade to clarif/ t+e role of guidance cousellors. (Idowu 2''7 and Cel)in 2''7 found t+at so3e ,ounsellors due to addition of teac+ing loads to t+eir counselling acti)ities decided to forsa;e counselling. Colo (2'12 opined t+at counselling is t+e relations+ip t+at is 6ualitati)e enoug+ to c+ange or affect people5s life positi)el/ and as suc+ in)ol)es a repertoire of s;ill to esta2lis+ and 3aintain t+at relations+ip s+ould 2e e<posed to e<posed to in-ser)ice progra33es suc+ as se3inars and

115

Journal of Education and Practice ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper ISSN 2222-2!!" (#nline $ol.%& No.2%& 2'13

www.iiste.org

Eor;s+op in order to en+ance t+eir professionalis3. .ro3 t+e researc+er5s o2ser)ation ,ounsellors in 3ost sc+ools are not e<posed to in-ser)ice training. .or e<a3ple t+e annual international conference organiBed 2/ t+e ,ounselling *ssociation of Nigeria (,*SS#N w+ere new de)elop3ent in counselling are 3ade ;nown are not attended to 2/ ,ounsellors. Fu;o/e (2''% opined t+at no 3eaningful ser)ices are c+eap& for effecti)e counsellng funds are needed. .unds are needed for t+e purc+ase of counselling 3aterials li;e in)entories& c+arts and also to e6uip t+e counsellor5s office .(enga(2''% opined t+at ,ounsellors wit+in t+eir profession are faced wit+ serious c+allenges li;e :lac; of acceptance 2/ sc+ool personnel & lac; of tools for appraisal and place3ent . Statement of Problem: Education is preparation for life. It is t+e process of learning to li)e as a useful and accepta2le 3e32er of t+e co33unit/ and as a good citiBen (.arrant& 1>7D . Education is also ai3 to train indi)iduals& not onl/ for ;nowledge 2ut to 2e co3petent& +app/& effecti)e and producti)e in life. 1+is )iew on education is rarel/ ac+ie)ed: t+erefore t+ere is a rationale for t+e introduction of 4uidance and ,ounselling ser)icesin t+esc+ool s/ste3. 1+is necessitated t+e National polic/ on Education (2''% on t+e introduction of 4uidance and ,ounselling to sc+ools w+ic+ sa/ inter alia t+at@ 7in )iew of t+e fact t+at students do not c+oose courses and =o2s realisticall/ and also 2ecause of t+e e)ident 3alad=ust3ent e<+i2ited in students& it was necessar/ to introduce 4uidance and ,ouselling ser)ices in our sc+ools and 4uidance ,ounsellors s+ould 2e posted to all sc+ools to effect t+e progra33e8. (espite t+e presence of ,ounsellors in sc+ools& fro3 t+e researc+ers o2ser)ation 2e+a)ior pro2le3s suc+ as@ cultis3& truanc/& e<a3ination 3alpractice& 2ull/ing and ot+ers are 3anifested 2/ secondar/ sc+ools students. Students5 perfor3ances in e<a3inations 2ot+ e<ternal and internal are falling /earl/. 1+is stud/ is t+erefore set to in)estigate ,ounsellors5 perception of pro2le3s facing guidance and counselling ser)ices in sc+ools and w+/ t+e/ are not 2een a2le to i3ple3ent t+e progra33e successfull/ in sc+ools in order to cur2 t+ese 3/riads of 2e+a)ior pro2le3s. 1+is stud/ t+erefore would find answer to t+is 6uestion@ E+at are t+e percei)ed pro2le3s 2/ ,ounsellors facing t+e effecti)e i3ple3entation of 4uidance and ,ounselling in sc+oolsG 1+e following +/pot+eses were tested at '.'5 le)el of significance. 1. 1+ere is no significant difference 2etween ,ounsellor5s /ears of e<perience and t+eir perception of pro2le3s affecting t+e practice of4uidance and ,ounselling ser)ices in sc+ools. 2. 1+ere is no significant difference 2etween 3ale and fe3ale ,ounsellors in t+eir perception of pro2le3s affecting t+e practice of guidance and counselling ser)ices in sc+ools. Purpose of Study 1+e Stud/ is to in)estigate t+e pro2le3s facing 4uidance and ,ouselling acti)ities in sc+ools as percei)ed 2/ t+e ,ounsellors. 1+e stud/ also ascertained w+et+er t+ere would 2e gender difference in t+e perception of ,ounsellors5 pro2le3s in sc+ools. ethodology 1+is was a descripti)e researc+ of t+e sur)e/ t/pe. 1+e population consisted of all t+e practicing 4uidance ,ounsellors in Nasarawa state secondar/ sc+ools. 1+e sa3ple consisted #f 1'' practicing ,ounsellors present at t+e state conference of ,ounselling *ssociation of Nigeria Nasarawa state 2ranc+ +eld at 0afia t+e state capital. *n instru3ent in for3 of 6uestionnaire titled 7,ounsellor5s perception of counselling pro2le3s 7designed 2/ t+e researc+ers& )alidated for face and content. 1+e relia2ilit/ was ascertained 2/ test-retest 3et+od wit+ relia2ilit/ coefficient of '.!1. 1+is 6uestionnaire consisted of two sections * and F. Section * contained de3ograp+ic infor3ation a2out t+e respondent suc+ as@ se<& 6ualification& /ears of counselling e<perience and ot+er duties in t+e sc+ool apart fro3 counselling. Section F consisted of 2' ite3s on ,ounsellors percei)ed pro2le3s in sc+ools. 9esponse was 2ased on a %-point scale of t+e 0i;ert t/ped ranging fro3 strongl/ agreed to strongl/ disagreed Administration of the Instrument! 1+e 6uestionnaire was ad3inistered to respondents personall/ 2/ t+e researc+ers to t+e respondents during an congress of t+e ,ounselling *ssociation of Nigeria (,*SS#N Nasarawa State c+apter. 1+e/ were 3ade to co3plete t+e 6uestionnaire on t+e spot and collected fro3 t+e3 on co3pletion.

11D

Journal of Education and Practice ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper ISSN 2222-2!!" (#nline $ol.%& No.2%& 2'13

www.iiste.org

"ata Analysis 1+e data generated were anal/Bed 2/ descripti)e and inferential statistic using fre6uenc/ and percentages for t+e descripti)e w+ile +/pot+esis 1 was anal/Bed 2/ Pearson Product ?o3ent ,orrelation and A/pot+esis 2 2/ Student5s t-test. *ll +/pot+eses were tested at '.'5 le)el of significance. #esult 1a2le 1 S$N 1 2 3 % 5

C%&NS'((%# P'#C'I)'" P#%*(' *ttitude of Principal and ot+er staff *ssigning ,ounsellor to ot+er duties 0ac; of ,ounsellor5s officeHill-e6uipped office Pro2le3 of fund Non-e<posure of ,ounsellor to wor;s+op

'AN 37.%3 31.5 3'.! 27.23 2D.'7

+ 75.1 D!.> D%.7! 5D.%3 52.5D

#AN, 1st 2nd 3rd %t+ 5t+

.ro3 ta2le one w+ic+ contained su33ar/ of percei)ed pro2le3s faced in sc+ools 2/ ,ounsellors & attitude of Principals and ot+er 3e32ers of staff ran;ed first. .ollowed 2/ assigning ,ounsellors to t+er duties. 0ac; of ,ounsellor5s office or poorl/ e6uipped office ran;ed t+ird. Pro2le3 of fund for t+e Procure3ent of counselling e6uip3ent and furniture to t+e counsellor5s office. Non-e<posure of counsellors to se3inars and wor;s+op ran;ed fift+. 1a2le 1wo@ A/pot+esis one stated t+at t+ere is no significant relations+ip in t+e perception of cousellingpro2le3s 2/ ,ounsellor in sc+ools 2ased on t+eir /ears of e<perience. 1+e r-cal. is less t+an r-ta2le at '.'5 of significance. 1+e +/pot+esis was t+ere2/ accepted 1a2le2 $aria2le N " S( (. 9-,*0. 9-1*F0E ,ounsellors5 perception of pro2le3s 12.5D !.%2 >! '.%!1 1.>D 1'' Iears of ,ounselling e<perience 27.31 1!.3!

P '.'5 1a2le 1+ree 1+ere is no significant difference 2etween 3ale and fe3ale ,ounsellors in t+e perception of pro2le3s facing counselling in sc+ools. $aria2le N " (. 1-,*0. 1-1*F0E ?*0E D' 1!.%2 >! 7.31 !.%! .E?*0E %' 21.D2 >! 7.31 !.%! P '.'5 Since t-calculated 7.31 is less t+an t-ta2le !.%! t+e +/pot+esis was accepted. 1+ere is no significant difference 2etween 3ale and fe3ale ,ounsellors in t+eir perception of counselling pro2le3s.1+e +/pot+esis was accepted "iscussion 1+e stud/ re)ealed ,ounsellors5 perception of pro2le3s 3ilitating against t+e practice of counselling in secondar/ sc+ools. 1+ese pro2le3s were in t+e following order of 3agnitude. Erong attitude of principals and ot+er 3e32ers of staff towards counselling& assigning counsellors to ot+er duties in t+e sc+ool apart fro3 counselling& li;e su2=ect teac+er& class 3aster& ga3es 3aster& la2our 3aster and ot+ers. Pro2le3 of fund to purc+ase counselling 3aterials li;e in)entories and e6uipping t+e ,ounsellors office.1+e findings agreed wit+ (enga (1>!3 w+o opined t+at t+e pu2lic +a)e a +aB/& confused and 2lurred perception of counsellor5s roles and functions. 1+e findings fro3 t+e stud/ was in line wit+ I;ene and Nwo/e (1>!! posited t+at w+en ,ounsellors are posted to sc+ools& Principal assigned duties to t+e3 different to counselling according to t+e sc+ools5 needs. 1+e stud/ also re)ealed t+at ,ounsellors were not e<posed fre6uentl/ to in-ser)ice training. 1+is was in line wit+ Scannel (1>>D w+o referred to continuous professional de)elop3ent as a s/ste3atic i3pro)e3ent and 2roadening of ;nowledge and de)elop3ent of personal 6ualities necessar/ for t+e e<ecution of professional duties t+roug+out one5s wor;ing life. 1+e finding fro3 +/pot+esis one indicated no relations+ip 2etween t+e /ears of counselling and perception of counselling pro2le3s .Fot+ e<perienced ,ounsellors percei)ed counselling pro2le3s in t+e sa3e wa/. 9esult of A/pot+esis two re)ealed t+at t+ere is no significant difference 2etween 3ale and fe3ale in t+eir perception of pro2le3s facing counselling in sc+ools. Fot+ 3ale and fe3ale counselors faced si3ilar pro2le3s 117

Journal of Education and Practice ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper ISSN 2222-2!!" (#nline $ol.%& No.2%& 2'13

www.iiste.org

in regard to coun2selling. 9eco33endations and conclusion #n t+e 2asis of t+e finding it can 2e concluded t+at Sc+ool ,ounsellors are faced wit+ pro2le3s in sc+ools w+ic+ +ad +a3pered effecti)e counselling in sc+ools. Suc+ as@ assigning duties to t+e3 apart fro3 counselling& lac; of fund to i3ple3ent counselling pro=ects in sc+ools and uncooperati)e attitude of principals and staff. 1+e following reco33endations are 3ade@ 1 ,ounselling s+ould 2e a full-ti3e =o2 in sc+ools and no ot+er dut/ assign to ,ounsellors. 2 Se3inars and wor;s+op s+ould 2e organiBed for ,ounsellors to en+ance t+eir professional co3petenc/. 3 #ffice s+ould 2e pro)ided for sc+ool ,ounsellor and located in a place w+ere students are free to e<press t+eir indi)idual pro2le3s. #eferences. *2olarinwa& ,.0. (2''! Issues and Pro2le3s affecting t+e 4uidance and ,ounselling progra3 in sc+ool in #3u-*ran 3etropolis Cwara state. Fu;o/e 9.# (2''% Introduction of 4uidance and for t+e D-3-3-% s/ste3 of Education Jos Sa)anna+ pu2lication 0td (enga (.I (1>!3 4uidance and ,ounselling for t+e D-3-3-% s/ste3 of Education& Jos@ Sa)anna+ pu2lication 0td. (enga (.I (2''% 4uidance and ,ounselling in sc+ool and non-sc+ool settings. ,ala2ar& 9apid pu2lis+ers. .arrant& J.S.(1>7D Principles and practice of Education. In foundation of Education t+oug+t and practice 2oo;& 0agos 0ong3an Nigeria ltd. Idowu& *.I (2''% ,ounselling *ssociation plans 2ill on legal recognition. 1+e Punc+ Newspaper Januar/ 7t+ 2''% I;e3e and Nwo/e (1>!! 1+e 9ole of t+e ,ounsellor in Nigeria secondar/ sc+ools. 1+e professional opinion. 1+e ,ounsellor ! ( 112-113 Ce)in S.0 (2''7 4uidance and ,ounselling in pri3ar/ Education. Fotswana. Internation=al spea;ing spring. Colo& ..( 4uidance and ,ounselling and transfor3ation agenda of go)ern3ents in Nigreia. * ;e/ note address at t+e 2nd National conference of ,ounselling *ssociation of Nigeria (,*SS#N Catsina State c+apter on 4uidance and ,ouselling and transfor3ation agenda . =une %t+ -!t+ 2'12 ?a;inde *.I (1>!5 ,ultural resources for integrated counselling in Nigeria. I2adan Singal Education ser)ice 0td. Scannel ?. (1>>D Eit+er goest t+ou@ professional or 3anage3ent de)elop3entG In Eoodward (ed. ,ontinuing de)elop3ent. New Ior;: ,assell >1-1'%

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