Effectiveness of Guidance and Counselling in Public Secondary Schools in Vihiga District

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of guidance and counselling in selected secondary schools in Vihiga District. The objectives of the study were (1) to evaluate the effectiveness of guidance and counselling in selected public secondary schools in Vihiga District; (2) to investigate students and teachers understanding of guidance and counselling; (3) to explore types of guidance and counselling offered in public secondary schools in Vihiga District; (4) to investigate teacher- counsellor training, and (5) to explore the need for teacher- counsellor's supervision. Literature showed that research done elsewhere had demonstrated that guidance and counselling was effective in helping young people adjust and therefore perform better in their studies. However, violence, drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and other vices are high in Kenya despite the presence of guidance and counselling for over three decades. Many recommendations given by the commissions appointed to research into the situation of education in Kenya have not been implemented. To get the target population the researcher used stratified random and purposive sampling techniques. The researcher then used questionnaires, interviews and document analysis to collect data for the research. Data collected through the interviews and documents was analyzed thematically, while that collected through the questionnaires was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Unrest in schools and higher institutions of learning, signing of UN Charter of Rights for Children and banning of corporal punishments in schools strengthened guidance and counselling. Research findings revealed that teacher-counsellors are involved in both individual and group counselling. They keep records of their activities. However there are drawbacks weighing down on guidance and counselling. Most teacher-counsellors are untrained in guidance and counselling, have heavy workloads and work without the service of guidance and counselling supervisors. Finally the research revealed that some teacher-counsellors have no offices and /or counselling rooms.