THE IMPACT OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING SERVICES ON STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND CAREER CHOICE IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Abstract

The research was undertaken to justify the effectiveness or otherwise of counseling services in sokoto metropolis, the research method used in this research is descriptive survey research method. The population of this research consists of students of secondary schools in Sokoto metropolis these schools consist of boarding, day and private schools. The samples of four (4) schools were selected within Sokoto metropolis and the sample of fifty (50) students were collected from each school to represent the population, the procedure used in this research was random sampling techniques. The instrument used for this research was questionnaire and the method used for analyzing data is simple percentage. Major finding of this research is that, most of the female students aspire for medical profession, we equally find out that the level of education of parents has considerably increased, this has influenced the students to aspire for higher education. We also find out that parents have no direct influence on the career choice of students. It was recommended that students shall be properly guided in making the right career choice by the authorities concerned and more female students shall be encouraged to aspire for medical profession especially in the northern Nigeria.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page

Approval page

Dedication

Acknowledgment

Abstract

Table of content

CHAPETR ONE

1.0   INTRODUCTION 

1.1        Background of the study

1.2        Statement of problem

1.3        Objective of the study

1.4        Research Hypotheses

1.5        Significance of the study

1.6        Scope and limitation of the study

1.7       Definition of terms

1.8       Organization of the study

CHAPETR TWO

2.0   LITERATURE REVIEW

CHAPETR THREE

3.0        Research methodology

3.1    sources of data collection

3.3        Population of the study

3.4        Sampling and sampling distribution

3.5        Validation of research instrument

3.6        Method of data analysis

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

4.1 Introductions

4.2 Data analysis

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Summary

5.3 Conclusion

5.4 Recommendation

Appendix

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

According to Melvin (1975), secondary school education is the engine room of knowledge acquisition, a stage at which students come in contact with various subjects, which determine the field of study they will like to pursue in higher schools secondary school education is kind of level after the primary education and before higher education. Its position in educational system also speaks of its importance. Schwarzeller (1962) see school as that which provides an outside view of what needs to happen in order for change to occur and also an equal opportunity for developing capabilities and talents. Education reforms Nigeria always have the secondary schools as main focus. In fact, it is viewed as powerful stage for knowledge, skill and experience acquisition as well as a wide range of career prospects for young boys and girls (Ezekwesili, 2006).

It is systems that is targeted towards strengthening secondary school education and provide students with more practical knowledge that can make them self-reliant after graduation. Kutara (1977) opines that, individual differences exist among people; this has an effect on who the individuals are and what they are capable of doing. What an individual does is sometimes variance with his ability, aptitude capability and interest. Individual differences in the rate of growth, intellect, school achievement sex usually set the pace where students look at themselves in career orientation. But such factors as home, the school, the mosque, church and the community for very vital factors in the students’ environment, thus, influencing their career choice or aspirations. Other factors like parental expectation, big salary, societal prestige, personal security, good rapport with friends, changes for advancement as well as the nature of the work itself have directly or indirectly lured most student who are about to leave school into making unrealistic career choice.

Career as used in the field of counseling has a broad and technical meaning. Technically, it refers to sequence of role or a position including works, leisure and educational pursuit that may encompass a number of occupations, vocations or jobs one engages in during his working life (Seligman, 1980). According to the international Encyclopedia Britannica (1978) career is job for which it is possible to advance during their working life, so that they may get greater responsibility and earn more money

Guidance and counseling services are essential tools in a child’s development especially during adolescent stage. Adolescent stage is characterized by rapid growth and change: socially, spiritually, physically, morally and intellectually. Most of adolescents are in secondary schools, that is why guidance and counseling services are very essential. According to Bark (2003), guidance and counseling are the assistances 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. In addition, Braddock (2001) states that, the purpose of guidance and counseling in schools is to improve academic achievement, foster positive study attitudes and habits, increase acquisitions and application of conflict resolution skills, and decrease school dropouts. Lack of guidance and counseling in adolescence has resulted to increase in unpleasant outcomes in the society. These include school dropouts, drug abuse, crimes, and even failure to secure jobs. Anastasi (1990) also adds that the task of educational guidance and counseling is to enable a student to adjust himself to his studies by improving his study attitude and removing subject matter difficulties. When guidance and counseling services is lacking in schools, students’ adaptation becomes difficult thus leading to poor performance, misbehavior and dropout. According to Odeke (1996), without sound guidance and counseling, many students loose direction and engage themselves in bad behaviors such as drug abuse and alcohol indulgence, missing classes, dropout and so on; as a result they lack both focus and direction resulting to total failure in life. In this regard, students need guidance and direction to study and choose career. The necessity of vocational guidance could not be over emphasized that there is the need to put in place a mechanism such as, guidance and counselling in every educational setting to help meet students’ educational, personal-social, and vocational needs. Such guidance services assist students to take meaningful decisions and make positive adjustments in life. Hence, guidance which is a helping service aims at behavioral change toward a functional life. Within the guidance programme are the following services: appraisal, information, counselling, placement, orientation, consultation, referral and follow-up. Thus, educational changes should go beyond mere diversification of the curriculum if the changes should be a means of helping students to have integrated personality to realize their true potentials. Vocational guidance is therefore expected to be an essential component of the educational system to facilitate students’ decisions in the selection and appropriate combination of subjects or courses that best suit their aptitudes and aspirations for the future world of work. Vocational or career guidance helps students to identify their own talents, strengths and weaknesses, family expectations, and national requirements in order to sort out the personal relevance of the educational and career options available. Career guidance service goes a long way to inform students’ decisions about their subjects of study which obviously lead to appropriate career decisions. In sum, guidance not only caters for the academic growth of students, but also their personal and social lives, thereby satisfying the philosophy underlying their education which is creating a well-balanced (intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, and physically) individuals with the requisite knowledge, skills, values and aptitudes for self-actualization and for the socio-economic and political transformation of a nation. This research therefore sought to find out factors that are likely to inform choices of study and career of students in second cycle institutions. The researcher deems it fit to undertake this study because Ghana, in its transition from a typical traditional society to a modern technological orientation, is presently undergoing rapid changes and such changes in one way or the other can alter the needs of individuals and the country at large.

• STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The choice of a particular career, however, is one vital decision one makes in a life time and is as important as life because of the enduring consequences on the individual. The 6-3-3-4 system of education in Nigeria was generally geared at harmonizing the society with its technological needs as it attempt to develop the society as the need arises. The problem of inferiority complex, personal confidence, self-motivation and inter-personal relationship lead to building of fellow students, this at times leads to truancy in the school. Also some students do not have self confidence in terms of keeping themselves and do not want help from other people. The problems which manifest themselves in the social and emotional needs of the students which affect students learning conditions are as follows: Drug Addition which is a major problem teachers, parent’s school administrations and counselors find hard to cope with and resolving it, for it is usually not easy to get rid of this habit formation when students deviates from counselor’s advice. Also the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) provides room for dialogue between the teachers and the parents. This can be used as a yardstick that measures the progress of guidance and counseling programme in the state, but lack of such association has been posing threat to the guidance and counseling programme in schools in places where the association is established, parents tends to neglect the attendance of such meeting whenever they are invited, as such they cannot understand the problems of their children as well as their achievements in schools.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The general purpose of this study is to find out the impact of guidance and counselling on the students’ academic performance. Specifically, this study intends to determine;

1. To ascertain the impact of guidance and counselling on the choice of career for secondary school students in Emmanuel College Odeda Ogun State.
2. To examine the effect of guidance and counseling services on the academic performance of student.

• To access the parent-child relationship in guidance and counselling on the career choice of secondary school students.

1. To ascertain the relationship between teachers and guidance and counselling on the choice of career of secondary school students.
   • RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

Three null and alternate hypotheses were formulated by the researcher for testing:

H₀: There is no significant impact of guidance and counselling on the choice of career of secondary school students.

H₁: There is significant impact of guidance and counselling on the choice of career of secondary school students.

H_O: There is no significant relationship between accessing guidance and counseling services and career choices among students.

H₂: There is significant relationship between accessing guidance and counseling services and career choices among students.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of this study is expected to help the curriculum developers to design educational programs that would be used in teaching specific aptitude and skills required by students to be able to implement their vocational aspiration The study will be of great benefit to secondary school students in acquiring skills and attitude necessary to develop educational goals which are suited to their needs, interest and abilities. To the teachers in secondary schools in providing necessary supports, guide and counselling pertaining to students choice of career. To parents so they could look inward at the children’s aptitude, interest and aspirations and not force the youths on a particular vocation. To scholars, governments, researchers and the general public who intend to broaden the search on the impacts of vocational guidance on career choice.

• SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study centers on the impact of guidance and counselling on the students’ academic performance. However the research has some constraints which are;

Time: the time at the disposal of the researcher which is allocated for the study was a major limitation as the researcher has to combine other academic work with the study.

Finance: The finance at the disposal of the researcher in the course of the study does not allow for wider coverage as resources are very limited as the researcher has other academic bills to cover.

• DEFINITION OF TERMS

Counselling: An intervention is an orchestrated attempt by one or many people – usually family and friends – to get someone to seek professional help with an addiction or some kind of traumatic event or crisis, or other serious problem

Career: A career is an individual’s journey through learning, work and other aspects of life. There are a number of ways to define a career and the term is used in a variety of ways.

Guidance: help and advice about how to do something or about how to deal with problems connected with your work, education, or personal relationship.

Guidance Counsellors: A school counselor is a counselor and an educator who works in primary (elementary and middle) schools and/or secondary schools to provide academic, career, college access/affordability/admission, and social-emotional competencies to all students through a school counseling program.

Adolescents:  meaning to grow up which is a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to legal adulthood (age of majority).

1.7 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem, objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study, research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlight the theoretical framework on which the study is based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.

 

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