Abstract:
This study was on the factors influencing Guidance and Counseling in Kenyan secondary
schools with special reference to Marani Division in Central Kisii District. Guidance and
Counselling has been known by many people as a behaviour modification and educational tool
among other roles. Most Kenyan Secondary Schools including those in Marani Division are
characterized by cases of indiscipline as evidenced by strikes, poor KCSE performance and
school dropout among others, The objective of the study was to investigate factors influencing
the effectiveness of Guidance and Counseling in secondary school of Marani Division.Marani
Division has 14 Public secondary schools with 3,762 students. Sampling was done using simple
random sampling and adopting an ex-postfacto design. Ten schools were selected for the study,
ten percent (280) of the students, 10 teacher counsellors and 10 Principal teachers giving a total
of 300 respondents. Interview schedules and questionnaires were used to collect information
from principal teachers, teacher counsellors and students respectively. Analysis of data was done
adopting manual calculations by using a calculator. This was presented using frequency
distribution and percentage tables. According to the study findings; lack of adequate trained
professional teacher counsellors, time and relevant authority support were among the factors
influencing Guidance and Counseling in secondary schools. The study recommended that all
secmidary schools should have well established Guidance and Counselling programmes with
professionally trained teacher counsellors as well as necessary resources for effective service
delivery. In their efforts to improve secondary school Guidance and Counselling services,
relevant stakeholders such as teachers and especially teacher Counsellors, parents, students,
educational administrators and the Ministry of Education will stand to benefit out of this study.
The researcher suggested further research on: “Continuing education and training needs of
teacher counsellors”, “the role of parent in enhancing Guidance and Counseling among school
students” and Assessment of students’ Counselling
