THE IMPACT OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING SERVICES IN SOME SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Formal guidance began in Nigeria towards the end of 1959. Guidance and counseling service was introduced in kaduna state in 1983 following the directives from the federal ministry of education quoted in the new national policy on education. The primary objective of guidance and counseling in the secondary school is to assist students in choosing career; selection of subjective, proper placement and good study habit. The researcher has noticed that student’s behaviors such as poop combination of subjects, lack of seriousness in studies and drug abuse may lead to inappropriate choice of career. Due to these problems, there should be a proper orientation on guidance and counseling to the junior secondary school (JSSIII) and senior secondary (SSI) students.
The aim of this study is to find out if guidance and counseling service are yielding any impact on the students behavior. Over the years, many researchers and authors including professional bodies, world organizations and government agencies have spoken on the need for guidance and counseling service in schools. Oladele (1987), Kalu (1992), Umom (1998), Abdulkareem (2001), Dikko (2001), Ekoji and Ekoja (2001) pinpointed the place and importance of guidance programmes in the Nigeria school system. The Executive Secretary of National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) Dr. Nuhu A. Yakabu sometime ago stated that: “there should be a provision of guidance and counseling in secondary school level.
Yakubu (2002) opined that, “every post primary school should have a guidance and counseling department which should organize career talks from time to time at which distinguished professional would be invited as resource persons”. The united nations organization (UNO) had accepted the observation of the united nations educational, scientific and cultural organization’s (UNESCO) report on the need for organized guidance services at secondary school level which states that: “African governments should perhaps consider providing more defined guidance for secondary school pupils in the light of their economic, social and cultural needs. Stronger guidance than in Europe will more reasonable in Africa because many families are scarcely capable of reaching well informed decisions and about the future of their children”. UNESCO 1962.  
1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The aim of guidance and counseling service in secondary schools is to assist students to understand themselves, their problems and to be ale to solve these problems without difficulties. An observation has been made by the researcher that in spite of the guidance and counseling in secondary schools in Doka area some students still drop out of school and some have non-chalant attitude toward their studies; others engage in drug abuse and juvenile delinquencies. This has been a major concern to the researcher and hence the decision to write this project so as to fine out if really guidance and counseling service have the mush desired and expected impacts on the students.  
1.3     PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of the study is to identify:
1.      The impact of guidance and counseling services in some selected secondary schools in Doka area.
2.      The problems affecting guidance and counseling service in the schools.
3.      The attitudes of students towards guidance counsellors.
4.      The attitudes of parents towards their children’s career choices  
1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS 
The following research question will guide this study:
1.     Does socio – economic background of parents at times make some parents impose pressure on their wards early in life in terms of career choice?
2.     Do peer group have any influence on students towards non-chalant attitude to studies?
3.     what is the relationship between the students and the guidance and counseling teacher?
4.     what is the degree of students exposure to guidance and counseling service in some selected schools in Doka area?