Abstract:
The main objective of this study was to determine the influence of demographic characteristics of the head teachers and teacher counselors on their perception of implementation of guidance and counseling. The study was based on gestalt transactional theories of perception. There was need to conduct the research since little is known about influence of age, gender, professional qualifications, counseling training and working experience of head teachers and teacher counselors on their perception of guidance and counseling. The study adopted an ex-post facto research design. The research population consisted of 46 head teacher counselors in Uasin Gishu District. A total of 92 teacher counselors and head teacher counselors and head teacher were selected through purposive sampling. Reliability was tested using test re-test method, reliability index was r=.62 which was considered high enough to accept the instrument as reliable for the study. Validity was done through expert advice from members of educational psychology department. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics where frequencies and percentages of the response were calculated and presented in tabular form. The inferential statistics which were used in this study included two-way ANOVA and Chi-square. The study revealed that demographic characteristics (age, gender, working experience, appointment criterion, areas covered in counseling, training, in-service training, counseling qualification) of head teachers and teacher counselors influences their perception of implementation of guidance and counseling. The results of this study would enable counselor educators and counseling professionals to design more effective counseling programme that would provide school teachers with clear picture of counseling practices in secondary schools in Kenya. The study made recommendations on how to implement guidance and counseling in secondary schools. This includes training of teachers in seminars, workshops and symposiums
