Influence of Guidance and Counseling on Academic Performance of Students in Public Secondary Schools in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State
Chapter One
Purpose of study
The purpose of the study is to look into guidance and counselling practice as applied in secondary schools to strategies towards academic excellence.
Objectives of the study
The following objectives will guide the study:
- To determine the effect of peer guidance and counselling on academic performance
- To assess the impact of guidance and counselling towards subject and career choices on academic achievement
- To determine the influence of guidance and counselling towards discipline in schools for academic excellence
- To establish the influence of guidance and counselling towards personal social and moral challenges in enhancing academic performance.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Related studies
Several studies related to guidance and counseling on academic performance have been done. In 2003, Brigman and Campell conducted a study to evaluate the effects of counsellor-led interventions on students’ achievement and behavior. They used maths and reading scores from Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) as their dependent measure of the student achievement evaluation. The scores of students randomly selected from schools with equal racial and social economic make ups in treatment groups, were contrasted with those of students in control groups that were matched for achievement evaluation. They found out that students in the treatment groups had higher mean score as compared to controlled groups.
In another study done by Sink and Stroh (2003), they examined the question; “Do school counselling interventions in elementary schools with comprehensive developemental guidance forster higher academic achievement test scores in student”. This was an outcome based research into the effectiveness of school counselling programmess, among 150 elementary schools across the state of Washingtone in USA. The schools were devided into the treatment groups of the comprehensive counselling programme within the school.
The findings revealed that the students who had attended the same school for three or more years where comprehensive counselling programmes had taken place, performed better accademically. Additionally those who remained in the same school for a multiple of years with fully implimented comprehensive school counselling programmes earned high achievement test scores than those who attented school with no such programmes.
In another study done by Laan, Gysbers and Sun in 1997 on high school students; they found out that in schools where comprehensive G&C programmes existed, several positive relations between counselling programmes and students academic performance existed. Beale,2004:Schimidt,2003, in their study on the effects of comprehensive developmental guidance programs on academic achievement of students, found out that student counselling improves school attendance, school behavior, increases student achievement and their levels of self esteem and attitudes towards school.
In a study of the seventh grade students done by Lapan, Gysbers and Petroski in 2001, the findings revealed that there was a correlation between comprehensive G&C programme and there existed a direct and positive relationship between programme implimentations and students perception of their school’s safety and success.
Historical background of guidance and counselling
Global
The development of guidance began in United States of America and Europe in the nineteenth century and gathered momentum towards the twentieth century. Among the pioneers was Frank Parsons of Boston, U.S.A. He helped find the Vocational Bureau and wrote his first book (Choosing a Vocation) between 1905-1909, during the development of guidance movement in the USA took place (Kochhar, 1992). Counselling before the 20th century used to be administered through religious perspective and implemented at the level of the local community, to deal with the behavioral problems. Some of the personalities who contributed to the guiding movement are such as Godwin, who in 1911 organized a wide guidance programme in Ohio USA high schools and Weaver (1912), who championed guidance and placement programs in New York City schools.
In Africa guidance existed in traditional African society by educating the youth about traditions and culture of the community. This was done from generation to generation by elders who considered it their social responsibility. The stages were from childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age. In the 19th century a lot of inventions were made in the medical field by fast tracking some mental disorders that may have been caused by psychological factors such as being unable to cope with inner frustrations and conflicts (fauster, 2005). This point of view led to a change in the methods used in treating mental behavior from religious perspective to psychiatric (medical).
Nigeria
The guidance and counselling programme in Nigeria has not made much impact due to lack of clear policy guideline by the Ministry of Education. There is a clear shortage of trained manpower in schools and resources. The trained career teacher overloaded with the normal teaching load cannot give proper guidance in schools due to lack of time. The development plan 1979-83 (Republic of Nigeria 1979), stressed the need for teachers to be responsible for guidance and counselling and have their workload reduced while the timetable re-arranged to enable them have time to deal with student problems. Generally due to lack of administrative control and support of the guidance personnel in schools, this important program has not made much headway (Muite, EK and Ndambuki,P, 2002).
The government of Nigeria is strengthening the guidance and counseling services through the Ministry of Education. Private agencies, institutions and non- governmental organizations (NGOS) are also promoting guidance in schools and colleges as well as outside the school set up by providing out of school programmes. The training offered at various levels, whether certificate, diploma or degree; offers guidance and counseling as part of the teachers training program. Moi University (Nigeria) offers a Bachelor’s degree in Education specializing in guidance and counselling.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
According to Sanuders, et al, (2007), the survey method allows collection of data from a large sample population and generates findings that represent the whole population at a lower cost. This was relevant for the study, since it allows the generation of the results from the sample to the target population within known limits or error Gall et al (1996). The survey strategy allowed the collection of quantititavie data within a short time span, which was analyzed quantitatively using descriptive statistics.
Sampling procedure
Sampling is the process of selecting a number of individuals for a study in such a way that the individuals selected represent the large group from which they were selected Mugenda and Mugenda (1999). This study employed random sampling and purposive sampling techniques. Random sampling was used to sample 15 schools from the district. Purposive sampling was applied to sample the 1 QUASO, 15 Principals, 15 Class Teachers from the sampled schools and the 62 form three students (4 from each of the 15 randomly sampled schools). According to Barlett (2001), purposive sampling helps in improving efficiency by enabling greater control on the composition of the sample which leads to collection of the desired data. Random sampling helps to reduce the effects of biasness and increase reliability of the findings which can be generalised to the larger population.
Data collection instruments
The research instruments that were employed in this study as the tools for data collection were: questionnaires and document analysis.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSIONS
Teachers’ demographic data
A questionnaire was prepared to establish the background information of the characteristics of teachers in the study. These were: their gender, age, professional qualification and category of school.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary of the outcome of the research
The study established that guidance and counseling practice has a correlation with the academic performance of students in secondary schools. The research intentions were to fill in the gap and provide knowledge and practice through interventions on the objectives that are geared towards academic excellence.
Summary of objective 1: To determine the effect of peer guidance and counseling on academic performance.
To some extent, trained student counsellors compliment the guidance and counseling teachers by playing parental roles, in helping decrease the students’ aggressiveness and hostile behaviour. This helps develop good behaviour and mind posture that ensures “NO” corporal punishment is administered in schools.
Students among peers regulate and organize individuals and other activities in the school, establishing and maintaining an environment that facilitates effective teaching and learning and adheres to human rather than punitive. The social dignity bestowed upon the students personally encourages intrinsic motivation, self-management and decision making skills which accounts for academic performance and achievement. Morally, counselling advocates for non-coercive, non-confrontational, yet assertive disciplinary strategies.
Summary of objective 2: To find out the impact of guidance and counseling towards subject and career choices on academic performance.
To a great extent, subject and career choice counselling helps students develop an integrated picture of themselves and their role in the professional world, by creating a perception that they are being prepared for a better future. This leads to more future orientation and greater self-efficacy. With the rapid changing labour market trends, job requirements and altered market conditions, there is need to guide students towards setting meaningful occupational goals, with relevant information concerning careers choice and labour market requirements.
Counselling helps in effective assistance towards career development through interventions that lead to students’ understanding of the educational choices and relationships between academic choices and career. Students should pursue education with a clear idea of what they will be to ensure effective use of resources and avoid accumulation of papers and certificates that may not be useful.
Summary of objective 3: Determining the influence of guidance and counseling towards discipline in schools for academic excellence.
To some extent, discipline counselling has significant influence on the overall school’s discipline. It provides disciplinary strategies that manage and moderate students’ behaviour effectively. This leads to better study skills and habits that improve the time available for teaching and learning through decreased disruption, improved classroom atmosphere which reduces educators’ stress.
Discipline counselling assists students to be understanding members of society by attributing for self-knowledge, emotional acceptance and growth of personal interest, a factor that will contribute to the discipline from cruel and coercive to nurturing and liberating. The process will decrease students’ aggressiveness and hostile behaviour cultivating compliance and order among students, which shall ensure positive attitude towards school.
Summary of objective 4: Establishing the influence of guidance and counseling towards personal social and moral challenges in enhancing academic performance.
To some extent, students perceive the importance and relevance of education for their future by pursuing studies with an idea of what they want to be. This is made possible by students being made to personally understand the relationship between academic choices and careers that are consistent with their ability.
Socially students explore talents in their inner gifted ability instead of emphasizing on academic performance. The school is perceived as doing its best to provide information of post-secondary opportunities. Counselling offers a combination and career alternative for a child hence vocation guidance helps students choose an occupation that they would wish to progress in. This will improve the students’ grades and assist students in carrying out adequate plans for desired goals in life.
Conclusions
The study sought to find the influence of guidance and counseling practice on academic performance. The results show that, guidance and counseling as practised does not meet the required standards of what is desired in academic performance. This has a direct bearing on human development that is related to what is effective practice regarding vision and mission of schooling: the self and self-conceptualization process for mastery of development tasks. These are agents of what constitutes comprehensive guidance and counselling practice. Further without access to counselling programmes, the self and self-actualization are jeopardized more so towards self-actualization, belonging, safety, and expectation as drive. Also, lack of visibility of counselling programmes poses a challenge, as this reflects lack of recognition. There is need to review guidance and counselling practices with the view of ensuring they meet the professional standards that lead to academic excellence thus performance. The recommendations are tailored towards guiding policy and mandating the practice.
Recommendations
From the study, the general impression is that guidance and counseling affects positively the academic performance in schools. All teachers in the school need to understand in depth the concept of guidance and counseling in the school setting and how it can be used to improve the academic performance.
The study therefore recommends that:
- There should be a national policy in place, governing all teacher training colleges where guidance and counseling should be part of the teacher training Guidance and counseling certificate should be a precondition for employment by the government employment agent.
- Guidance and counseling should be introduced at secondary school level, as part of the examinable subject’s, right from elementary secondary
- The Ministry of Education policy of ‘NO’ corporal punishment, should be embraced with alternative means of punishment that are not
- The Education Ministry should organize regular seminars based on personal social and moral practices for schools. This will ensure that the policy on professional ethics is adhered to for improved
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