Significance of Counseling and Guidance in Education

Dr. Radhika Kapur

Abstract
Counseling and Guidance are two major aspects that have been part of every area such as
business, management, marital relationships, stressful situations, education and so forth. In this
research paper, attempt has been made by the researcher to understand these aspects within the
field of education. In the field of education, what kind of problems, issues and difficulties
students face for which they require help of the counselor or a guide. There has to be an
establishment of a mutual bond between the counselor and the counselee; there has to be
effective means of communication between them and understanding. With understanding and
effective means of communication, the counselor tries to scrutinize the problem and provides
appropriate knowledge, information and awareness to the client to overcome the problems and
live a good and a healthy life and make wise decisions.

Keywords: Counseling, Guidance, Schools, Special Problems and Programs.

Introduction

Counseling and guidance have been considered to be crucial aspects in the field of
education; no matter which level of education an individual is involved in whether it is
elementary, primary, secondary, or higher education; whether it is formal or informal means of
education; students may require counseling and guidance at all levels. The areas in which
students may require counseling and guidance includes learning disabilities, underage drinking,
using drugs, smoking, if students are unable to concentrate on their studies, when scoring high
becomes a problem for them or home conflicts, these are some of the matters in which students
require counseling and guidance facilities. When undergoing stressful situations; individuals
seek these aspects so that they can be directed towards the right path; the major objective of
these facilities is to help the individual or a group of persons to acquire self understanding in
order to be themselves, socialize with others and make appropriate decisions.

What is meant by Counseling and Guidance?

 Counseling is a skilled and principled use of relationship to facilitate self-knowledge,
emotional acceptance and growth and the optimal development of personal resources. The
overall aim is to provide an opportunity to work towards living more satisfyingly and
resourcefully. Counseling relationships will vary according to need but may be concerned with
developmental issues, addressing and resolving specific problems, making decisions, coping
with crisis, developing personal insights and knowledge, working through feelings of inner
conflict or improving relationships with others. The major role that the counselor plays is to
facilitate the client’s work in ways that respect the client’s values, personal resources and
capability for self-determination (Sheppard, n.d.).

Guidance mainly refers to the assistance made available by personally qualified and
adequately trained men or women to an individual of any age. The main objective of the guide is
to help them manage their own life activities, develop their own points of view, make their own
decisions and carry out their own burden (AEGI, 2013).

Purposes of Counseling and Guidance

There have been many purposes of counseling and guidance in all aspects; but in this
case, the significant purpose has been identified from the perspective of education and the
purposes have been stated as follows: (Ojo, 2006).

1. The individuals have to be made aware of their basic personal prerequisites, abilities,
assets, liabilities and potentialities; hence they have to be made aware about their own
positive points and negative points.
2. Effective, meaningful and significant information has to be provided to them in solution
of their problems.
3. The students should learn how to scrutinize their weaknesses and then overcoming them;
the role of the counselor and a guide is to help them how to catch the fish on their own
and not catching fish by themselves and giving it to them.
4. Students may also need counseling and guidance services regarding the selection of a
career; in this case, they should assist them in making appropriate, satisfying and
interesting educational choices.
 5. The teachers as well as the parents should also meet with the counselor or the guide,
because it is crucial for them to effectively assist the student who is undergoing
counseling and guidance sessions. The parents and the teachers should understand the
needs and problems of the students and harsh behavior or shouting at the student is
strictly prohibited.
6. The school authorities or the administrators should be assisted in improving the
educational objectives, planning and course curriculum.
7. The school environment should be formed in such a manner that students should feel safe
and sound, they should develop proper attitude towards school, teachers, classmates,
values, norms, policies, interests, beliefs, discipline and rules.
8. Students should be guided to identify their flaws and inconsistencies in the field of
education and improve upon their learning. They should be guided in a manner to
promote effectiveness.
9. Students who get addicted to underage drinking and usage of drugs should be shown the
right direction and prescribe ways to get rid of such things because they are the major
hindrances to ones personal and professional development.
10. It is essential to promote amongst the students a sense of awareness, ability to acquire
sufficient knowledge regarding their studies, when studying they should put complete
focus, and become more capable and intelligent.
Types of Counseling

There are two major types of counseling, namely: individual counseling and group

counseling (Ojo, 2006).

Individual Counseling: This is referred to as one-to-one counseling. It occurs between the

professionally trained counselor and his client. The goal of individual counseling is to help the
client to understand him self; clarify and direct his thought, in order to make a sensible
assessment. Through this counseling, clients’ problems are alleviated and solved. The main
purpose is to bring about changes within the client either by altering maladaptive behavior,
learning the decision making process or preventing problems from taking a major form.
Group Counseling: This is a counseling session that takes place between the
professionally trained counselor and a group of people. Number of individuals within this group
counseling should not be more than seven, or at the most ten; in order to have a consistent group
and an effective well controlled and organized counseling session it is required that the members
of the groups, in other words the clients or the counselees should have problems that are similar,
for example two or more students who face learning problems in a particular subject area may
attend a common counseling session.
Different School Guidance Services
The school is expected to provide more than just teaching and instruction to its students.
A school is recognized as a place or an institution where students come to learn all forms of
personal and professional traits. A school guidance program includes all those activities other
than instructional and curriculum methods which are carried out to provide assistance to students
in their educational, vocational, personal development and adjustment. The fundamental aim of
the guidance program is to bring about the maximum development of the child; guidance
programs center on different kinds of aspects depending upon the problems and difficulties that
the children undergo but the overall aim of all guidance programs must be geared toward
attainment of the goal, which is the development of the child. Guidance services can assist the
students in identifying on their own the potentialities and limitations, making appropriate career
choices in educational, vocational and other fields. Some of the important guidance services are;
the orientation services, student inventory services, career information services, counseling
services, group guidance services, placement services and research and evaluation services
(Guidance, n.d.).
Why Counseling and Guidance is necessary in Schools?

In the present world, the services of counseling and guidance have been necessary at the

school level; not just older adults but even school children need counseling and guidance
services; the main reasons behind this have been stated as follows: (JGC, 2012).

Increased Enrolment in Schools – The significance of education has been largely

recognized within the country and more and more students are going to school of all age groups;
even adults who have not got an opportunity to go to school at a younger age have started
enrolling themselves in schools now. When there has been an increasing enrolment in schools,
then counseling and guidance centers were also established within the schools to help the
students overcome their problems and difficulties.
 Changing Social Patterns – The society has undergone immense changes as in cultural
norms, rules and regulations of the institution, usage of technologies, emergence of
modernization and impact of globalization, as well as appearance of violent behavior; sometimes
individuals face difficulties relating to social patterns; in such situations, it is vital to have
counseling and guidance services.

Changing Conditions in Labor and Industry – With the impact of globalization and
emergence of new technological innovations, new courses, programs have been emerging within
the school curriculum to provide appropriate skills and abilities to meet the current requirements.
Hence changing conditions of industries and labor market factors have enabled the establishment
of counseling and guidance service centers within the schools. Students especially who come
from economically backward sections of the society do need these services.

Leisure Problems – With the usage of technology, now work assignments can be
completed in lesser time duration; for this reason, students get engaged in delinquent acts,
underage drinking or crime and violence; in order to lead them towards the right path, counseling
and guidance centers need to be established and they would be advised to spend their leisure time
in activities such as playing games, participating in club functions, socialization, religious
activities or helping the vulnerable community members such as teaching children of the
underprivileged families.

Generation Gap – The age difference between the parents and the children is large and
this gap results in differences between interests, values, tastes, beliefs, goals, lifestyles and
methodologies. For example, when parents went to school, there was no technology, now the
usage of technology is common, these differences may lead to conflicts and disputations, hence
counseling and guidance services are required to guide the students as well as the parents that
they need to adjust themselves with the present scenario and help the child in every manner to
accomplish his goals and objectives.

Special Problems of the Slow Learners

There has been identification of special problems of students who have learning
disabilities and for the purpose of which they require counseling and guidance sessions:
(Guidance, n.d.).
 1. The children who take time in understanding concepts, in other words, who are slow
learners, in their physical appearance they look like normal children, parents and teachers
have the same expectations from them as from the latter.

2. When they are not able to live up to these expectations, parents and teachers reprimand
and take them to task instead of trying to find out the reason behind their problems and
difficulties.

3. Their classmates make fun of them by teasing and laughing.

4. Consequently, they are confused and puzzled, wondering what wrong they have
done, as a result they become frustrated and depressed.
5. Since their basic needs of being loved, acknowledged and recognition are not met, they

develop emotional problems and behavioral disorders such as weakness in memory,

feeling of insecurity etc.

6. They generally have a low self-esteem due to their limited experience of success and due
to the low opinion expressed of them by parents, teachers and other members of the
community around them.
Features of Counseling and Guidance Programs

The manner in which counseling and guidance programs have been organized has been
classified as follows: (Supporting Student Success, 2007).

1. Provide a structure to help in meeting the guidance and counseling needs of all students.
2. Promote respect for individual strengths and weaknesses and social and cultural diversity;
there should not any kind of discriminatory treatment.
3. Help students in understanding themselves and in forming meaningful relationships with
others.
4. Help students plan and achieve educational goals and explore personal career paths, in
other words, providing sufficient career counseling which is vital for the students.
5. Provide consultation and co-ordination services to educators, parents, administrators, and
others who work with students.
 6. Ensure the accessibility of guidance and counseling to all students; the services should
not be inaccessible to the students or other individuals who are involved with the students
such as parents and teachers.
7. Provide developmental as well as preventive and judicious services.
8. The program should be implemented in such a manner so as to provide skills, knowledge,
wisdom, understanding, attitudes and strategies to the students.
The program has four major domains, which are personal, social, educational and career.
When an individual is undergoing problems whether it is relating to studies or family or certain
habits; in all cases, the counselor advises that he should learn to comprehend and appreciate
himself; to communicate with other people effectively; to formulate his educational goals and
objectives and career goals and objectives; what kind of educational qualifications he wants to
accomplish and what kind of employment does he want to obtain (Supporting Student Success,
2007).

Conclusion

Counseling and guidance services have become an integral part of the education system;
the field of education has been considered as such in which students as well as other individuals
do require counseling and guidance from therapists, professionals, experts, teachers, guides and
mentors. The various areas in which students would require counseling and guidance sessions
would include career counseling, counseling related to problems such as stress, trauma or
depression, counseling related to learning problems such as when students are not able to
understand the concept or they feel frustrated about a particular area such as mathematics or
science or if they do not feel comfortable in working with technology then they feel
apprehensive and need help; another major area in which school or college students may require
counseling sessions are related to problems such as when they get addicted to drugs or
consumption of alcohol, students who are slow learners or face problems such as dyslexia may
also require counseling and they may also require career counseling in choosing the right field.

The major aim and objective of counseling and guidance sessions are to analyze the
problems, identify the strengths and weaknesses and taking appropriate measures in order to
provide solution to those problems. Counselors and guides are professionally qualified and
trained personal who are meant to make the client understand himself and indoctrinate the
feelings of admiration for himself; Finally, it can be stated that counselors make provision of
effective knowledge in order to make the client understand himself, realize the strengths and
weaknesses and help him live a fulfilling life.

Bibliography

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