A School Guidance Program

By SAMUEL B. BATARA
INTRODUCTION

This paper has not been researched out of books or from any other library resources. It rather simply summarizes spur-of-the moment
random thoughts of the writer on how a College/School Guidance Program should be. Minor variations may be effected to make it fit a
secondary level setting.
The projection this paper contains has not merely been dreams waiting to be lived out. It is a product of hasty recollections through
the writers experiences, first, as a student for six years in a residential college, and then subsequently working abroad as a full-time
Chaplain and Lecturer in a residential Teachers College for six years, then as part-time Chaplain/Social Worker simultaneously in a number
of educational, medical, and rehabilitation institutions for three years, and finally as an Integral Human Development Trainer for three years.
The program detailed here embodies the firm belief of the writer that any educational program should always be student-orientated,
always aiming at the total and continuing development of both trainees and trainers. A sound and workable Guidance Program serves as
the steering catalyst to ensure that education achieves that ultimate goal. Because Guidance primarily deals with people and relationships,
it should never be an exclusive enterprise but a calling and mission of duty charged to every educator and any other personnel serving with
the school, always bearing in mind ones own cooperative participatory accountability.
The General Objectives of a School/College Guidance Program can, therefore, be expressed, even repetitively for emphasis, as
follows:
1. To initiate, experiment on, implement, evaluate and improve activities, services, and facilities that provide a fertile training ground
conducive to optimum learning and human development.
2. To enable trainees and trainers to grow together, assist, support and nurture each other in their mutual search for knowledge, common
pursuit for a better future, and living (not just dreaming) meaningful lives.
3. To coordinate, integrate and facilitate student services that enhance a lively, active, responsible, disciplined and productive student
affairs; and,
4. To rally, enjoin and involve the different College personnel to serve together sacrificially in the spirit of love, care, concern, sharing,
understanding and shalom for the benefit, first and foremost, of the students.

GUIDANCE
SERVICES
1. Recruitment
Application
Processing

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
To give prospective students a preview and
make them aware ahead of time, of the
opportunities, privileges, duties,
responsibilities, and discipline they encounter
if they choose to join the school community
To give prospective students ample time to
study and decide whether or not college life is
for them, and to commit themselves to
respond more sincerely to school
expectations

TIME
FRAME
January to
March

MANPOWER AND
RESOURCES
Recruitment
Committee; Faculty;
Registrars Office;
Guidance Office;
Student Affairs
Office; Host schools
and their staff and
facilities

2. Testing Service
(Entrance Exam)
in addition to
NEAT/NSAT
Career Guidance

To examine students abilities and inclination,

and to give them direction towards a career
more fitting to each one.

March to
May

Guidance Office;
Faculty; Registrars
Office; Host
Schools, their staff
and facilities

3. Enrolment
Orientation

To introduce students to the college/school

community and its life, to acquaint them with
available personnel and services, and to
create and implant in them a sense of
belonging;
To pave a smoother way for students entry
into college/high school life, and to make
them feel at home all along right from the
start.

May to June

All faculty
All auxiliary staff
Guest speakers
School connected
personnel

ACTIVITIES
- series of promotional visits to feeder schools, doing
a. talk on the affairs presently enjoyed by students, as well as
opportunities, expectations, responsibilities and discipline
expected of members of their future school;
b. distribution of promotional materials, and even showing
audio visual programs honestly illustrating different areas of
college life;
c. open forum, question-answer type, on oral and visual
presentation above, and on the general set-up of the school;
d. further exclusive meetings with students showing extra
interests and contemplating enrolment;
e. distribution and explanation of application forms
- Pooling together student applicants at a central place where
interviews and necessary testing (supplementary to
NEAT/NSAT) such as psychological, general academic,
aptitude, personality tests, etc. at the level of the
college/school standards may be done;
- Evaluation of tests and interviews;
- Notification of applicants; inviting those accepted to a set
orientation program.
- A program of orientation activities duly prepared by an
orientation committee, including
a. guided tour of plant, facilities, such as the library, chapel,
gymnasium, clinics, offices, canteens, etc.
b. excursions to outlying places and institutions related to the
university and its communal life, and even places where to
buy educational supplies;
c. talk by different staff, student leaders, and guests on
specific areas of life and services offered in the school,
followed by open forums;
d. presentation and discussion of rules, regulations, and
practices adopted by the school;
e. enrolment assistance, to make entry easier, an otherwise
grueling portion of student life;
f. Medical and physical check of enrollees; for reference to
physical to physical exertions in sports, etc.

GUIDANCE
SERVICES

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

TIME
FRAME

To keep the community updated and wellinformed, to consult each other on any minor
and major issues facing the college and
students;
To solicit the side and voice of students on
school decisions, to make each one feel
accountable and important part of the school
community

All year
round,
timetabled
and when
chances
come, e.g.
assemblies

MANPOWER AND
RESOURCES

ACTIVITIES
-

4. Consultation
Information
Forum

Student leaders;
Student Affairs
Office;
Administration and
all concerned
personnel and
services

5. Counseling
Spiritual
Medical

6. Advisory
Deanery
Family Hours

To enable students and school personnel to

help themselves (face, not fight) difficulties
encountered, to adjust to unpredictable
pressures, to maintain and safeguard sound
mind, body and spirit in order to pursue
undisrupted but productive schooling; and to
promote supportive relationships.

To assign advisors given certain student

groupings or sections to oversee where
closer contacts and group consultations can
happen in order to create the spirit of a close
knit family.

All year
round, an
open door
service

Guidance Office
and Counselors;
Chaplains and
nearby pastors;
Church offices;
Medical and
rehabilitation
officers and
centers
Students
Faculty;
have access Departments;
to advisors
Administration;
anytime;
Student leaders;
Family
Student Affairs
meetings
Office
may be led
once or
twice a
month

Getting the studentry informed of latest developments and

needs, schoolwise and even worldwide;
Run forums, group/class discussions on issues/ problems
arising; students concerns then be forwarded to people or
offices concerned;
Organize consultative meetings between and among faculty,
staff, students, administration at a one on one, class,
department, and student body level;
Update adequate information materials, bulletins, post
boards, posters, etc.;
Suggestion boxes and their up-to-date inventories;
Community / home visitations to where students live;
Consultative meetings between students and school
personnel.
Counseling office manned by full-time counselors, open
anytime for counseling sessions;
Chaplains may be scheduled for counseling services and
spiritual directions;
Pastors ministers of churches to which students belong are
scheduled counseling contacts with students wishing to
consult them;
Referrals to medical authorities, psychological, or psychiatric
services; or rehabilitation centers;
Periodic time allotted to contacts between department / class
advisors and advisees assigned, to discuss and resolve
academic, domestic and even personal concerns, to share
communal or specific directional guidance;
Deans and heads/chiefs of different departments, facilities,
offices, clinics and other services meet with such group of
students to talk about related specific concerns;
Family, interest clubs, departmental club forums

GUIDANCE
SERVICES
7. Student Services
Leadership
Development

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
To encourage students to exercise a more
even and efficient service for the good of all,
to channel students aspirations and needs
for proper dealing; to give enough room for
the practice of leadership, and to promote
students responsibility in running their own
affairs

TIME
FRAME
All year
round

MANPOWER AND
RESOURCES
Student leaders;
Student Affairs
Office
-

8. Social
Outreach

To encourage students to develop socially

and more responsibly as they realize their
duty and reach out in concern to each other
and to their people and community

All year
round

Student leaders;
Student Affairs
Office;
Departments

9. Student Evaluation
Incentive
Recognition

10. Remedial
Assistance
Make-up

To issue incentives, reinforcements and due

recognition to students in their efforts to
create and support a disciplined community;
to develop maturity and accountability;

To provide students with extra special time

and incentives to develop skills, talents,
towards a more active and productive
academic and community output

Accumulatio
n of positive
and
negative
reports all
year round;
Evaluation
meetings at
end of
semester

Faculty,
student leaders to
police;
departments,
Guidance Office/
Registrars Office
to implement; Peer
counselors to be
chosen from
sections

All year
round

Faculty;
Extension Officers

ACTIVITIES
Student leaders man their own office that maintain open
contacts and consultation with the Student Affairs Office, or
the former be made part of the latter;
Complaints desk receive complaints and concerns of
students to be channeled to proper authorities, offices, or
facilities that cater to spiritual, recreational, health
educational needs of students;
Exercise of an efficient and really serving student
government;
Leadership training institutes;
Organize socialization programs where both faculty/staff and
students socialize, recreate, and acquaint each other, e.g.
ballroom dancing, fellowship hour, college/school /
department/class dinners, excursions, picnics, etc.
Inter-school/inter-institutional affairs where students and
personnel of different schools meet and socialize;
Student / Personnel exchanges;
Rally both staff and students into community services and
social action
Teachers, advisors, chaplains/pastors directly overseeing
students, talk about the strength and weaknesses,
behavioral bearings, and academic standing of individual
students, fill up evaluation forms for record and reference
purposes;
Teachers, other school staff, and peer counselors issue
positive or negative reports whenever a particular student
behaves or misbehaves according to school rules and
regulations;
Warning/probationary system takes care of extra negative
reports, while citation/recognition awarded to reinforce extra
positive reports
Extra advisory meetings with group of student, serving to
guide students make-up for requirements undone; do
elective programs on areas where students lack or show
interests; explanation/practicum in areas / matters
considerably difficult to students

GUIDANCE
SERVICES
11. Practicum
Interaction
Feedback

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
To research on and continually develop more
appropriate offerings and services to students
as tested in the fields of actual service

12. Career Guidance

Employment
Posting/Fielding
Assistance

To assure students and graduates of the

schools interest and support in their chosen
career; not just concerned of the means but
more of the results.

TIME
FRAME
All year
round

MANPOWER AND
RESOURCES
Faculty;
Administration;
Extension Officers
And centers;
Alumni;
Other institutions
-

Graduation
year

Guidance Office;
Alumni;
Public Service;
Private sector;
Student Affairs
Office

13. Follow-up
Remote control

a.
c.
e.
g.
h.
i.
j.

To reach out to graduates and former faculty

members in order to learn more appropriately
from them and to improve offerings and
services according to feedback given

All year
round;
At every
opportunity

Guidance Office
Registrars Office
Student Affairs
Office

ACTIVITIES
Students doing guided practicum and getting participating
staff in different fields and institutions give feedback on how
educational offerings be improved;
Extension staff, personnel with whom practicum students
work are encouraged to evaluate appropriateness of
training;
Solicit alumni feedback towards improving program and
services basing on their own experiences and knowledge
tested in the field;
Inter-institutional visits and exchanges
Encouraging colleges, industries, prospective employers
nationwide and worldwide to communicate the kind of
personnel and qualifications needed
Pooling together of information on employment trends and
positions available to prospective graduates
Inviting successful alumni to speak to students on their
careers
Getting Department of labor to speak on Special Program of
Employment for Students
Connecting to the Internet browsing through Jobnet and
Recruitment networks
Assisting students to apply for positions eve before they
graduate, issuing college confirmation of academic / extracurricular records and personal qualities;
Updating record of an alumni directory;
Contacts with graduates through continuous informative
communication between alma mater and alumni;
Graduates may also ask the school for help, guidance, and
assistance on what they feel or experience as lacking, and
vice versa.

In addition to the services mentioned above the following are important responsibilities of the Guidance Department of a high school:
Counseling for the complete development of students
b. Providing group guidance classes
Conducting all testing programs
d. Informing students about scholarships and financial aids
Maintaining and processing permanent records of students and graduates
f. Assisting with summer school or job arrangements
Coordinating educational and vocational resource center
Arranging and attending conferences with students, parents, teachers and outside resource people if necessary, regarding student progress
Explaining curriculum, rules, regulations and expectations for incoming freshmen, new students and parents
Assisting in post-high school education selection using available career search tools.