Teacher-counsellor and student perceptions on the effectiveness of guidance and counselling services in addressing psycho-social challenges facing students in day secondary schools in the north rift region of Kenya

Abstract

The Government of Kenya‟s policy on subsidized secondary education is aimed at increasing access to secondary education by all students. To ensure this demand of access to secondary education is achieved; the Government has encouraged the establishment of day secondary schools through Sub-county Education Boards (SCEBS) to cater for children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. However, the students in day secondary schools may still face many psycho-social challenges that emanate from their home and school environment. While at home these students are engaged in domestic chores that may consume their study time. The students therefore struggle academically and if they fail to get proper guidance and counselling services, they become prone to anxiety, stress, low self-esteem and drugs and substance abuse. There is need therefore for schools to enhance effective guidance and counselling programme. The effectiveness of this programme however, depends much on the teacher-counsellor and student perceptions. The effect of perception may be more pronounced in the North Rift region where there are frequent cases of inter-community conflicts. Therefore, this study sought to establish the teacher-counsellor and student perceptions on the effectiveness of guidance and counselling services in addressing psychosocial challenges faced by students enrolled in day secondary schools in selected sub-counties of the North Rift region. The study utilized the survey design. The research targeted a population of 6,190 Form three students and 115 teacher- counsellors. The accessible population was 1200 Form three students and 60 teacher-counsellors from Baringo and Elgeiyo/ Marakwet counties. Simple random sampling was used to pick twenty Form three students from each of the 18 sampled day schools giving a total of 360 students. Purposive sampling was used to select one teacher-counsellor from each sampled school giving a sample of 18 teacher- counsellors. The data collection tools included teacher-counsellor questionnaire, student questionnaire and a focus group discussion schedule. To validate these instruments, piloting was conducted in two day secondary schools on a sample of forty students and two teacher-counsellors. Piloting was done in Elgeiyo South and Baringo Central sub –counties. The pilot sub-counties and schools were not included in the actual study. Data was analyzed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.0 for windows. T-test statistic was used to test if there was a significant difference in the teacher-counsellor and student perceptions on the effectiveness of guidance and counselling services in addressing psycho-social challenges. The hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study established that the psycho-social challenges facing students included stress, anxiety, insecurity, poor academic performance and low- self-esteem. The findings further revealed that significant differences existed in the teacher – counsellor and student perceptions on the effectiveness of guidance and counselling services in addressing psycho- social challenges. The study concludes that although guidance and counselling service has been offered in secondary schools for long, teacher-counsellors and students felt that it has not been effective in addressing students‟ psycho-social challenges especially those in day secondary schools in the North Rift region. To address this issue, the study recommends that; various agencies especially the Non-governmental Organizations working in North Rift region should put in place initiatives which will enhance the effectiveness of guidance and counselling services in schools. To improve student and teacher-counsellor perceptions of the effectiveness of guidance and counseling services in day secondary schools, the government should provide adequate guidance and counselling vii materials in schools. The government should also train and post to schools teacher counsellors whose role will be to offer effective guidance and counseling services to students.