Teacher Counsellors' and Students' perceptions of the effectiveness of Guidance and Counseling services in secondary schools in Marakwet West District

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to carry out an investigation of the teacher counsellors' and students' perceptions on the effectiveness of guidance and counselling services in secondary schools. The study sought to achieve the following objectives: Investigate students and teacher counsellors' perceptions of the effectiveness of guidance and counselling services, to identify the components of effective guidance and counselling services as perceived by teacher counsellors and also to identify the factors affecting the effectiveness of guidance and counselling services in Marakwet West District secondary schools. This study was carried out in Marakwet West District of Rift Valley province. This study was based on cognitive approach-formation of Perception by (Ostrom & Davis, 1994 and social learning theory by Bandura). This theory places emphasis on the objects within the environment which in this study were the guidance and counselling services in secondary schools. It further states that information is acquired through direct personal experience with stimuli (the guidance and counselling services) either in salient or in repeated exposure over time. The study utilized survey research design. The guidance and counselling heads of departments and students constituted the target population. To obtain a study sample, the researcher used stratified sampling method to categorize schools according to the type of school (mixed schools, boys' schools and girls' schools). From each stratum, simple random sampling was used to select 10 schools from a total of 23 schools. All teacher counsellors of the selected schools participated in the study. Similarly all the Form Three students of the selected schools were included in the study. Questionnaires were used to collect data. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and data was presented in form of percentages, means, standard deviation and frequency tables. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) aided in the analysis of data. The study revealed that schools rarely planned guidance and counselling services. The study further revealed that lack of resources and heavy work load performed by the teacher counsellors affected the effectiveness of G/C services in Marakwet west district secondary schools. Capacity building workshops to be conducted for the teachers in order to embrace the role of the counsellors in the provision of guidance and counselling services,Guidance and counselling departments should be strengthened in secondary schools in order to yield more benefits to students in all aspects, all educational stakeholders should be involved in the planning of guidance and counselling services. This will enhance ownership of the guidance and counselling policies, hence improving efficiency and effectiveness of guidance and counselling services in schools and the government should try to improve teacher staffing in secondary schools in order to reduce the work load of the counsellors to have more time on guidance and counselling services. The findings of this study will be useful to the Ministry of Education, policy formulators and implementers, teacher counsellors, students and future researchers especially those whose studies are designed to improve the effectiveness of guidance and counselling services.