THE IMPACT  OF   GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING IN THE CARRER CHOICE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Guidance, according to the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, is "advice provided to someone, especially by someone with greater experience," whereas counselling is "professional advice regarding a problem." In a literary sense, guiding is the process of assisting a person in better understanding himself and his surroundings (Adenigbagbe, 2011).  Guidance as "the process of leading, supporting, and guiding a person toward his or her goals." Counseling may also be defined as a professional contact between a client or person and a professional counsellor with the goal of guiding  the client in voluntarily changing his behavior to one that is more productive (Adenigbagbe, 2011).

Guidance and counseling have been defined in a variety of ways by various writers. According to (Ferguson, 1999) he sought to explain the term's meaning by pointing out the word guidance as a concept, an educational construct, and an educational service to answer a need, according to Ferguson (1999). Counselling is defined by English and English (2001) as a relationship in which one person tries to assist another person understand and address his or her adjustment difficulties. (Carl Rogers, 2001) defines counselling as a therapeutic endeavor aimed at assisting a client in relaxing his structure, gaining new experiences, and becoming an integrated whole in an emphatic counselling environment.(Stone, 2004) define counselling as "the means of assisting an individual in understanding himself and his world."

Guidance and counselling, according to UNESCO (2008), is a professional field that encompasses a wide range of activities, programs, and services aimed at assisting individuals in better understanding themselves, their problems, their school environment, and their world, as well as developing adequate capacity for making wise decisions and choices. Guidance and counselling, according to Adenigbagbe (2010), is a topic that deals with life's developmental difficulties or human phenomenon concerns. Guidance and counselling is a procedure that involves a unique type of interaction between a person who seeks assistance with a maladative condition and someone who is qualified to give such assistance as stated by Adenigbagbe (2010). Counseling can be delivered in two ways; individual counselling, and Group counseling.

The majority of pupils in senior secondary schools struggle to select the suitable topic combinations for their final examinations (WAEC/NECO), which define their future job choice. Making critical judgments can be difficult to undo, and making poor choices can have a negative impact on a student's future career. Guidance and counseling in secondary schools can greatly assist students in selecting course combinations that will enable them to be successful in their future careers. Guidance and counselling were established in Nigeria with the goal of directing, aiding, and directing people who are choosing vocational occupations, placement, career prospects, and progress (Stone, 2004). The federal government mandated that advice and counselling courses be included in university curricula at both the post-graduate and undergraduate levels, and currently certain schools of education provide such courses. This has become a required subject in the teacher education curriculum at tertiary institutions, with the goal of preparing young men and women instructors to comprehend human behavior from a psychological viewpoint, as well as the causes that cause changes in behavior.

1.2  STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In any school institution, the counsellor holds a critical position. The Federal Government is aware of this, which is why the new National Policy on Education (9-3-4) system places a renewed focus on the need for guidance and counseling services. The Federal Ministry of Education has also said that counselors should be employed full-time. Most teachers and principals are also aware of the counsellors’ service (Ferguson, 1999). Despite this, it has been noted that secondary school students are not encouraged to participate in the services (Ferguson, 1999)  . Apart from academic failure and school dropout, kids in our secondary schools face a plethora of psychiatric, social, vocational, and personal social issues. Control or settlement of these issues is always delegated to school officials and instructors, while asking counsellors' attention is always neglected.

1.3  OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

Specifically, this study seeks to:

i.          Investigate the critical function of guidance and counseling in secondary schools.

ii.        Determine the impact of guidance and counseling on senior secondary school students' job choices.

iii.      Help and educate secondary school students in selecting subject combinations, particularly senior students who are preparing for their final examinations that would lead to offers of further education courses.

1.4  RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions guide this study:

i.          What is the function of guidance and counseling in secondary schools?

ii.        What is the impact of guidance and counseling on senior secondary school students' job choices?

iii.      Does guidance and counseling help and educate secondary school students in selecting subject combinations, particularly senior students who are preparing for their final examinations that would lead to offers of further education courses?

1.5  SIGNIFIANCEOF THE STUDY 

The findings of this study may be used to persuade the government to identify and hire counselors in our secondary schools to assist (adolescent) pupils in choosing a future vocation. The researcher will also educate secondary school authorities about the need of a counsellor in a school and how they are not intruders. The position of a guidance counselor will not be looked down upon by the government, who considers it a simple luxury.

1.6  SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The research focuses on the impact of guidance counseling in our school, particularly among senior secondary students, on their career choices and how school administrators will welcome counselors into their classrooms. Hence, selected schools in Anambra State shall serve as enrolled participants for this study

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