Assessment of Professional Preparedness And Resource Availability For Secondary School Guidance Counsellors In Nairobi Metropolis Kenya

Abstract

This study set to find out whether guidance counselors in secondary schools in Nairobi metropolis were offered adequate subject content in guidance and counseling during their teacher training. It was also designed to find out whether the guidance counselors are offered adequate resource needs, continuing education and a code of ethics. The research design was descriptive studies and the research location was Nairobi Metropolis. The population targeted was 49 public secondary schools and random sampling was used to get the sample size of 24 schools which were clustered into mixed, boys’ and girls’ secondary schools. The data collection instrument was a self-scoring questionnaire dropped at and picked from the schools by the researcher. Data analysis was done using SPSS Computer Programme and descriptive statistics. The study found out that the university colleges do not offer adequate subject content for the guidance counselors. It also found out that continuing education offered to guidance counselors is wanting, they do not have resources, and a code of ethics is unknown to many of them. This study recommends that the teacher training subject content in the Kenyan universities should include comprehensive subject coverage in guidance and counseling. The study also recommends that the ministry of education should set aside funds for secondary schools to sponsor guidance counselors in resource needs and continuing education. A code of ethics should be provided specifically for guidance counselors by the ministry of education.