Nature and benefits of guidance and counselling services offered in selected public secondary schools in Mansa district

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Date
2015
Authors
Mwape, Joseph
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Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
The importance of guidance and counselling services in Zambian schools cannot be over emphasized. That‟s why as early as 1971, a guidance and counselling unit was established in schools and reorganized in 1990. This study therefore, investigated the nature and benefits of guidance and counselling services offered in public secondary schools in Mansa district because most of the local studies were concentrated along the line of rail. Three objectives guided the study which were: to identify the challenges pupils in secondary schools face; to find out the nature of services offered by the guidance and counseling department to pupils; and to determine the ways in which pupils benefit from guidance and counseling services offered. A case study of three public secondary schools in Mansa district was used to conduct this study. The sample size was 66 of which 60 were pupils, 3 guidance and counselling teachers and 3 head teachers. Questionnaires were used to collect data from guidance and counselling teachers and pupils. To crosscheck pupils‟ response, the focus group discussion was also used. Interviews were used to collect data from head teachers. The study revealed that pupils were facing a lot of challenges which were educational/academic, career/vocational and social/personal related challenges. With regards to the nature of guidance and counselling services offered, the study revealed that not all the components of guidance and counselling services were offered. Only examination talks were reported to be significantly offered. Records to show the existence of the rest of the activities were not there. The schools sampled had no guidance and counselling program to follow and teachers were not trained but just seconded to the section. The study also revealed that pupils had not benefited much from the services offered because most of such services were not offered. The study concluded that even though pupils faced a number of challenges, little was done in the provision of guidance and counselling services in the schools sampled and many pupils did not benefit much. Therefore, it was recommended that guidance and counseling should be taught to all student teachers so that as they graduate, they will have skills in various guidance and counseling services. The department should also be introduced in schools for guidance and counselling with the head of department responsible. Finally, teachers trained in guidance and counselling should be deployed in public secondary schools and materials be distributed.
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Keywords
Counseling in secondary education--Zambia , Vocational guidance--Handbooks, manuals, etc.
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