ABSTRACT
This study investigated the
influence of guidance and counselling services on academic achievement and
transition rate of Taraba state students into tertiary institutions. Four
research questions answered, using mean and standard deviation, and three null hypotheses
tested at 0.05 level of significance using t-test statistics and chi-square
guided the study. Population of the study was 1,800 SS III students in Wukari
and Donga education zones of Taraba state. The sample size was 364 students
drawn through simple random sampling technique. The study adopted an
ex-post-facto research design. The instrument for data collection were students
WAEC result to answer research questions 2 – 4 and a structured questionnaire
developed by the researcher which was validated by three experts from the
faculty of education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, to answer research
question one (1). Main findings of the study revealed, among others, that
guidance and counselling services influence Taraba state students’ academic achievement
and transition rate into tertiary institutions. Transition rate of female
students in Taraba state is higher than the transition rate of their male
counterpart. There was a significance difference in the transition rate of
Taraba state secondary school students exposed to guidance and counselling
services and those not exposed. Major implication of the findings is that
academic achievement and rate of transition of Taraba state students into
tertiary institutions will be enhanced, if the government can release more
funds for in-service training of school counsellors to upgrade their knowledge
and skills. The researcher therefore recommended that, government should as a
matter of urgency, employ more school counsellors and also train and retrain
the existing ones for maximum output.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
As
individuals develop through stages of life and educational attainment, they
encounter problems, challenges and conflict situations. These individuals also
need to develop value systems, make decisions, set goals and work towards them.
All these cannot be achieved without self-understanding and decision-making
skills, which are not innate, but need to be developed. The need to address
these challenges and to promote educational success and healthy life therefore,
call for exposure to guidance and counselling programs by individuals/students.
Guidance
and counselling is a term usually used together which focus on assisting
individuals attain self-understanding and direction, although attempts have
been made by various authors to define the term separately. While Ezeji (2001),
defines guidance as the help given by a person to another in making choices,
adjustment and in solving problems, Denga (2001), sees guidance as a cluster of
formalised educational services designed by the school to assist students to
achieve self knowledge or self-understanding which is necessary for them to
attain full self-development and self- realization of their potential. On the
other hand, Okeke (2003), defines counselling as a helping relationship
involving the counsellor and the client, in which the counsellor uses his
professional knowledge and skills to assist the client attain proper
development and maturity, improved functioning and ability to cope with life’s
problems. Counselling is also defined according to Eze (2012), as an
inter-personal relationship between a professionally trained individual
(counsellor) and a troubled individual (counsellee) or individuals
(counsellees) whereby the former utilises his professional skills to help the
latter to be able to solve his educational, vocational and person social
problems. Bark (2003), states that guidance and counselling are the
assistance made available by qualified and trained persons to an individual of
any age to help him to manage his own life activities, develop his own points
of view, make his own decisions and carry his own burden.
Based
on various definitions presented above, the researcher sees counselling as a
process of utilising professional skills by a person (counsellor) to assist
another (client) in a person to person relationship to achieve the resolution
of general life problems, in order to attain proper development and
functioning. General life problems here, refers to all aspects of the
individual’s life which include; personal, social, educational and vocational
among others, as no single individual is said to be free from trouble or
problem. Guidance and counselling is therefore designed to help
individuals/students in their different problems and concerns, so that they
grow up well adjusted individuals capable not only of living productive lives,
but are also prepared to contribute their quota to the development of their
society. Gibson, 2008 states that Guidance and counselling services prepare
students to assume increasing responsibility for their decisions and grow in
their ability to understand and accept the results of their choices.
There
are different aspects of guidance and counselling such as family guidance and
counselling, marriage guidance and counselling and pastoral guidance and
counselling among others. The researcher’s concern however, is on school
guidance and counselling. The focus of school guidance and counselling is on
three major areas namely: educational, vocational, and personal-social.
Educational guidance and counselling according to Ifelunni (2003), is aimed at
assisting both the students and their parents to develop educational plans that
will help them plan their school work such as study habit, examination
techniques and how to choose subjects, among others. According to Ifelunni, the
planning is such that they benefit from their school work and hence able to
progress to the next level of schooling. Ifelunni (2003) also viewed vocational counselling as aiming
to assist a person match his personal attributes and his background with
suitable jobs and employment opportunities. Personal-social counselling
according to Ifelunni (2003), takes care of the problems of the students that
may not be educational or vocational such as boy-girl relationship, leisure
time activities, personal appearance, social skills, home and family
relationship, among others.
The
focus of guidance and counselling in school is to address the needs and
concerns of students or learners at different levels of academic or educational
development. Braddock (2001), states that the purpose of guidance and
counselling in schools is to improve academic achievement, foster positive
study attitudes and habit, increase acquisitions and application of conflict
resolution skills and decrease school dropouts. The primary mission of a
school’s guidance and counselling program is to provide a broad spectrum of
personnel services to the students. Denga (2001), referred to these services as
“cluster of formalised educational services designed by the school to assist
students to achieve self-knowledge or self-understanding which is necessary for
them to attain the fullest self-development and self-realization of their
potential”. These services include: student appraisal service, information
service, counselling service, placement service, orientation service, referral
service, follow-up and evaluation service, and research service. Appraisal
service involves the use of tests and non-test instruments to collect, analyze
and interpret data on students to understand themselves better. It also affords
counsellors and significant others, the opportunity of having insight into the
strengths and weaknesses of students. Information service is tailored towards
equipping students with the necessary information in the areas of educational,
vocational and personal social. These information are very important because
they assist students to make wise decisions about life. Counselling service is
a face to face interaction between the counsellor and the students, through
which.....
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