University Students' Perceptions on the Effectiveness of Peer Counselling Programmes, A Case of Egerton University, Njoro Campus

Abstract

Guidance and counseling programme plays a crucial role in harmonizing the abilities, interests and values of students so as to develop their full potential. All this is aimed at improving the self- image of the students and facilitating better academic performance. Egerton University introduced peer counseling programme to allow students to identify and handle their own problems, and find solutions to them. This study sought to establish the perception of students on the effectiveness of the peer counseling programme in Egerton University, Njoro Campus. It adopted an ex post facto research design. The target population included all the undergraduate students and peer counselors in Njoro Campus. A random sample of 231 students and 31 peer counselors was used. Data were collected using a questionnaire for the peer counselors, and for the selected students. The collected data were then processed and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings of this study showed that the peer counseling programme was not well facilitated in terms of an office, counseling rooms and resource materials, to adequately cater for all the counseling needs of students. Most students were aware of the existence of the peer counseling programme but differed on the actual number of services being offered by the programme. The peer counselors counseled their clients on demand, and there was no specific time allocated to the programme. It was also found out that there was a significant difference in the level of perception about peer counseling programme between students and the peer counselors (t-value = -5.556, p < 0.05). Students who demanded for counseling services were more likely to develop a more positive perception about the peer counseling programme and vice versa (r = +0250, p I 0.000). Lastly, majority of the students’ respondents rated peer counseling as not effective while majority of peer counselors rate it as highly effective. Based on these study findings, recommendations were made that, there was need for better facilitation of the peer counseling programme at the university. The services offered by the programme should be publicized and made clear so that more students can get involved, and definite time should be allocated for the peer coimseling activities. Further, there was need for fair, just and transparent selection criteria for the peer counselors.