Effect of Guidance and counseling on students’ academic performance in some selected secondary schools in the Buea Municipality
Department: Guidance
and Counselling
No of Pages:
54
Project Code: GC2
References:
Yes
Cost:
5,000XAF Cameroonian
: $15 for International students
CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL
INTRODUCTION
Introduction
Guidance
and Counselling are two closely interrelated concepts. According to Makinde
(1984) and Patterson (1977), guidance refers to a broad area of all educational
activities and services aimed at assisting individual students to understand
themselves and adjust to school life.
Mutie
and Ndambuki (1999) defined guidance and counseling as a learning-oriented
process which occurs in an interactive relationship with the aim of helping the
clients to learn more about themselves.
Guidance
and cancelling is therefore aimed at bringing about maximum development and
self-realization of human potential for the benefit of the individual and the
society. In schools, the programme assists students in harmonizing their abilities,
interests and values and enables them to develop their full potential.
Olayinka (2001) opines that obtaining good
grades in examination to acquire certificates either for admission into higher
institution or obtain good employment is the main goal of education to many
people and not the acquisition of knowledge and skills through studying. Many
students perform poorly because they lack the right attitude to study and do
not have the right orientation from home and from the society (Essuman, 2007).
The
following are aspects that will be discuss. Background of the study, Statement
of problem, Objectives of the study, research questions, research hypotheses,
justification of the study significances of the study, scope of the study,
operational definition.
Background of
the study
Historical
background
The history of school counseling formally began in the
turn with the twentieth century, though a case might be made for tracing the
foundations of counseling and advice rules to ancient Greece and Rome with all
the philosophical teachings of Plato and Aristotle.
There is also evidence to argue that some of the
methods and abilities of modern-day guidance counselors were practiced by
Catholic priests in the middle Ages, as may be observed from the determination
to the idea of confidentiality within the confessional.
Close to the end of the sixteenth century, one of the first
texts about profession solutions appeared: The Universal Plaza of All the
Professions with the World, (1626) written by Tomaso Garzoni quoted in Guez, W.
& Allen, J. (2000). Nevertheless, formal guidance programs using
specialized textbooks did not start until the flip of the twentieth century.
The
development of guidance
and counselling originated
from Europe and
the United States
of America in
1900s. A person named Goodwin
in 1911 organized
a wide guidance
programme in USA
that catered for
students.
The
emphasis was on
vocational information, awareness of
the world of
work, location of employment
and reduction of
examination anxiety
(Makinde,1984). He noted that since
1950s, popular views
of guidance and
counselling have changed
rapidly and that
understanding youths problems
are among the
functions of school
guidance and counselling. The role of school counselors
has changed over time.
At the turn of
20th century, school counselors did not exist, rather, teachers used a few
minutes of their day to provide students with vocational guidance (Bower &
Hatch, 2002). In the early 1900s, an influx of various types of students in the
public schools occurred because of the industrial revolution, initiating the
development of the school guidance movement.
At this time, the purpose of the guidance counselor
was to avoid problem behaviors, relate vocational interests to curriculum
subjects and develop character. Guidance and counseling services are essential
elements in discipline management of people in all societies.
Even the most primitive societies grew out of the necessity of guiding individual behavior patterns in the interest of the group. Society itself could not function without the exercise of discipline. Using guidance and counseling to promote discipline must continually be practiced if people are to work harmoniously for the achievement of the common purpose.
The role of
guidance and counseling in the administration and management of student
discipline in Cameroon has been recognized by various government policy
documents since independence.
Counseling is an idea that has existed for a long time
in Cameroon. We have sought throughout
the ages to understand ourselves, offer counsel and develop our
potential, become aware of opportunities and, in general, help ourselves in
ways associated with formal guidance apply.
In most communities, there has been, and there still
is, a deeply embedded conviction that, under proper conditions, people can help
others with their problems. Some people help others find ways of dealing with,
solving, or transcending problems as Nwoye, (2009) prescribed in his writings.
In schools, presently if the collaboration between teachers and students is
good, students learn in a practical way.
Young people develop degrees of freedom in their lives
as they become aware of choices and take advantage of them. At its best,
helping should enable people to throw off chains and manage life situations
effectively. Unprecedented economic and social changes have, over the years,
changed the ways in which we manage our lives.
Consequently, not all the lessons of the past can
effectively deal using the challenges of modern day times. Effective
counseling, especially in institutions of learning has now become important.
Boys and girls, and young men and women, need to be guided in the relationships
between health and the environment, earning abilities, knowledge, and attitudes
that lead to success and failure in life.
The need for counseling has become paramount in order
to promote the well-being with the child. Effective advice and counseling
should help to improve the self-image of students and facilitate achievement in
life tasks. Counseling should empower girls and boys to participate fully in,
and benefit from, the economic and social development of the nation.
Formal guidance and in the world originated in Europe
and the United States of America in 1900s. By 1911 an organized guidance
programme in the United States of America was in place to cater for students’
needs.
The emphasis was on vocational information, awareness
of the world of work, location of employment and reduction of examination
anxiety (Makinde, 1984). Bor, Landy, Gill and Bruce (2002) have noted that
guidance and has changed rapidly and that understanding the functions of school
guidance and is important.
Conceptual
background
Bhavnagar and Gupta (1999) define guidance as a
process of helping the individual find solutions to his/her own problems and
accept them as his own. Ipaye (1983) stated that guidance is a general label,
an umbrella term that covers all the means whereby an institution identifies
and responds to the individual needs of pupils/students and thereby helping the
individual to develop his or her maximum potential.
Counseling, on the other hand, is a subset of the
general term we call guidance services. The purposes of guidance and counseling
(G&C) programs for school children are many folds.
Empirical evidences showed that G&C programs had
significant influence on improving discipline problems (Baker & Gerler,
2001), enhancing students grades (Gerler, Kinney & Anderson, 1985),
strengthening social skills (Verduyn, Lord & Forrest, 1990), helping
students make wise decision on career development and college choices and
developing positive study habits and study skills.
Mutie and Ndambuki (1999) defined guidance and
counseling as a learning-oriented process which occurs in an interactive
relationship with the aim of helping the clients to learn more about
themselves.
Guidance and cancelling is therefore aimed at bringing
about maximum development and self-realization of human potential for the
benefit of the individual and the society. In schools, the programme assists
students in harmonizing their abilities, interests and values and enables them
to develop their full potential.
A final definition is that of Burks and Stefllre
(1979), who define counselling as “professional relationship between a trained
counsellor and a client usually person-to person, although it may sometimes
involve more than two people.
It is designed to help clients understand and clarify
their views of life, space and learn to reach their self-determined goals
through meaningful, well informed choices and through resolution of problems of
an emotional or interpersonal nature”.
Guidance as a term refers to a broad area of educational
activities and services aimed at assisting individuals in making and carrying
out adequate plans leading to achievement of desired life goals (Patterson, H,
J, (1977). It is meant to equip the individual (student) with knowledge and
techniques that will enable him or her to identify and find ways of
anticipating and solving problems.
Contextual
background
The guidance and counseling department in Cameroon
Universities, is supposed to specifically provide expert direction which
promotes the student self-growth and wise decision making. This could be done
through teaching, advising, instructing, explaining, and opinion giving that
enables learners develop self-esteem (Nguyia, 2010).
They also develop their personal needs and evaluate
the societal challenges facing them, abilities and gradually develop life’s
goals that are individually satisfying and socially acceptable (UNESCO, 2000),
but this is not the case in Cameroon schools. The guidance counselor being a
major actor of the Cameroon education system plays a key role in the promotion
of social value in our schools today.
According to ministerial order NO 67/B1/1464/MINEDUC/CAB
of February 2013, defining the mission of the Guidance and counsellor and 18th
of October has been declared a National day for Guidance and counselling
in Cameroon.
Sign by the minister of secondary education. All these
commissions reinforced and emphasized on the need to reinforce and empower
guidance and counselling in order for it to effectively
Statement of the Problem
Guidance and counselling is therefore aimed at
bringing about maximum development and self-realization of human potential for
the benefit of the individual and the society. In a school, the programme
assists students in harmonizing their abilities, interests and values and
enables them to develop their full potential.
It directs students on appropriate career and subject
choices; solving discipline, education, social and psychological problems; and
general adjustment to school life (Gerardo, 1996).
Guidance and counselling programs in Cameroon education system has not been given the attention it deserves, and if attention is not given to this form of education program, majority of school students will continue to find it difficult in career decision making.
Okolie (2014) asserts that many college students lack ideas on
which course to study in the higher education institution after leaving the
schools. The reason is because; they lack services of professional guidance and
counsellor who will assist them in career decision-making.
It has been observed
that many students who perform well in mathematics and science technology
related subjects in secondary schools end up studying arts or social science
related courses in the University instead of studying science, technology or
engineering related courses to boost up their academic performance; this is
mostly seen in Cameroon education institutions.
After being admitted into the University, such students find it difficult copping with other students who choose the right courses leading to their chosen career path. It is on the premises that the researcher deem it necessary to carry a study in the Buea municipality to find out the role of guidance and cancelling on academic performance of secondary school students in the Buea Municipality. Meanwhile the topic is open for further research.
Objectives of the Study
General Objective
The general objective of this study was to examine the extent to which guidance and counselling affects academic performance of students in some secondary schools in the Buea municipality.
Specific Objectives
The study was guided by
the following specific research objectives:
1. To find out the influence of group counselling on the academic performance of school students in the Buea municipality.
2. To examine the influence of solution focused brief counselling on academic performance of school students in the Buea municipality.
3. To find out the influence of conflict resolution counselling on
the academic performance of students in the Buea municipality.
Research Questions
General Research Question
How does guidance and counselling in school influence the academic
performance of school students in the Buea municipality?
Specific Research Questions
1. How does group counseling affect the academic performance of
school students in the Buea municipality?
2. How does solution-focused group counseling influence Academic
Performance of school students in the Buea municipality?
3. How does conflict Resolution affect the academic performance of
school students in the Buea municipality?
Check out: Guidance and Counselling Project Topics with Materials
