ATTENTION:
BEFORE YOU READ THE CHAPTER ONE
OF THE PROJECT TOPIC BELOW, PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION BELOW.THANK YOU!
INFORMATION:
YOU CAN GET THE COMPLETE
PROJECT OF THE TOPIC BELOW. THE FULL PROJECT COSTS N5,000 ONLY. THE FULL
INFORMATION ON HOW TO PAY AND GET THE COMPLETE PROJECT IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS
PAGE. OR YOU CAN CALL: 08068231953, 08168759420
THE
INFLUENCE OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING SERVICES ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND
TRANSITION RATE
ABSTRACT
This study
investigated the influence of guidance and counselling services on academic
achievement and transition rate of Taraba state students into tertiary
institutions. Four research questions answered, using mean and standard
deviation, and three null hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance using
t-test statistics and chi-square guided the study. Population of the study was
1,800 SSIII students in Wukari and Donga education zones of Taraba state. The
sample size was 364 students drawn through simple random sampling technique.
The study adopted an ex-post-facto research design. The instrument for data
collection were students WAEC result to answer research questions 2 – 4 and a
structured questionnaire developed by the researcher which was validated by
three experts from the faculty of education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, to
answer research question one (1). Main findings of the study revealed, among
others, that guidance and counselling services influence Taraba state students’
academic achievement and transition rate into tertiary institutions. Transition
rate of female students in Taraba state is higher than the transition rate of
their male counterpart. There was a significance difference in the transition
rate of Taraba state secondary school students exposed to guidance and
counselling services and those not exposed. Major implication of the findings
is that academic achievement and rate of transition of Taraba state students
into tertiary institutions will be enhanced, if the government can release more
funds for in-service training of school counselors to upgrade their knowledge
and skills. The researcher therefore recommended that, government should as a
matter of urgency, employ more school counselors and also train and retrain the
existing ones for maximum output.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background
of the Study
As
individuals develop through stages of life and educational attainment, they
encounter problems, challenges and conflict situations. These individuals also
need to develop value systems, make decisions, set goals and work towards them.
All these cannot be achieved without self-understanding and decision-making
skills, which are not innate, but need to be developed. The need to address
these challenges and to promote educational success and healthy life therefore,
call for exposure to guidance and counselling programs by individuals/students.
Guidance and counselling is a term usually used together which focus on
assisting individuals attain self-understanding and direction, although
attempts have been made by various authors to define the term separately. While
Ezeji (2001), defines guidance as the help given by a person to another in
making choices, adjustment and in solving problems, Denga (2001), sees guidance
as a cluster of formalised educational services designed by the school to
assist students to achieve self knowledge or self-understanding which is necessary
for them to attain full self-development and self- realization of their
potential. On the other hand, Okeke (2003), defines counselling as a helping
relationship involving the counsellor and the client, in which the counsellor
uses his professional knowledge and skills to assist the client attain proper
development and maturity, improved functioning and ability to cope with life’s
problems. Counselling is also defined according to Eze (2012), as an
inter-personal relationship between a professionally trained individual
(counsellor) and a troubled individual (counsellee) or individuals
(counsellees) whereby the former utilises his professional skills to help the
latter to be able to solve his educational, vocational and person social
problems. Bark (2003), states that guidance and counselling are the assistance
made available by qualified and trained persons to an individual of any age to
help him to manage his own life activities, develop his own points of view,
make his own decisions and carry his own burden.
Based on
various definitions presented above, the researcher sees counselling as a
process of utilising professional skills by a person (counsellor) to assist
another (client) in a person to person relationship to achieve the resolution
of general life problems, in order to attain proper development and
functioning. General life problems here, refers to all aspects of the
individual’s life which include; personal, social, educational and vocational
among others, as no single individual is said to be free from trouble or
problem. Guidance and counselling is therefore designed to help
individuals/students in their different problems and concerns, so that they
grow up well adjusted individuals capable not only of living productive lives,
but are also prepared to contribute their quota to the development of their
society. Gibson, 2008 states that Guidance and counselling services prepare
students to assume increasing responsibility for their decisions and grow in
their ability to understand and accept the results of their choices.
There are
different aspects of guidance and counselling such as family guidance and
counselling, marriage guidance and counselling and pastoral guidance and
counselling among others. The researcher’s concern however, is o:‘ool guidance
and counselling. The focus of school guidance and counselling is on three 1
areas namely: educational, vocational,
and
personal-social. Educational guidance and counselling according to Ifelunni
(2003), is aimed at assisting both the students and their parents to develop
educational plans that will
help them
plan their school work such as study habit, examination techniques and how to
choose subjects, among others. According to Ifelunni, the planning is such that
they benefit from their school work and hence able to progress to the next
level of schooling. Ifelunni (2003) also viewed vocational counselling as
aiming to assist a person match his personal attributes and his background with
suitable jobs and employment opportunities. Personal- social counselling
according to Ifelunni (2003), takes care of the problems of the students that
may not be educational or vocational such as boy-girl relationship, leisure
time activities, personal appearance, social skills, home and family
relationship, among others.
The focus of
guidance and counselling in school is to address the needs and concerns of
students or learners at different levels of academic or educational
development. Braddock, states that the purpose of guidance and counselling in
schools is to improve academic achievement, foster positive study attitudes and
habit, increase acquisitions and application of conflict resolution skills and
decrease school dropouts. The primary mission of a school’s guidance and
counselling program is to provide a broad spectrum of personnel services to the
students. Denga (2001), referred to these services as “cluster of formalised
educational services designed by the school to assist students to achieve
self-knowledge or selfunderstanding which is necessary for them to attain the
fullest self-development and selfrealization of their potential”. These
services include: student appraisal service, information service, counselling
service, placement service, orientation service, referral service, follow-up
and evaluation service, and research service. Appraisal service involves the
use of tests and non-test instruments to collect, analyze and interpret data on
students to understand themselves better. It also affords counsellors and
significant others, the opportunity of having insight into the strengths and
weaknesses of students. Information service is tailored towards equipping
students with the necessary information in the areas of educational, vocational
and personal social. These information are very important because they assist
students to make wise decisions about life. Counselling service is a face to
face interaction between the counsellor and the students, through which
students are assisted towards overcoming obstacles to their academic,
vocational, personal-social progress and other life needs. Placement service is
concerned with assisting students to adjust to the next stage of development
whether in school or on the job. Orientation service is designed to familiarize
fresh students with their environment. It is a process of initiating an
individual to a work or learning situation and of instructing him about rules,
regulations and responsibilities, as an introduction to a new situation.
Referral service affords the school counsellor an opportunity to refer the
cases which he cannot handle to specialists like clinical psychologist, medical
practitioner and others. Follow-up and evaluation service is designed to
ascertain the extent to which the guidance programme previously carried out by
the school is meeting the objectives for which it was established and also to
monitor the progress of students in their work places. Research service helps
the school counsellor to discover relevant information that can improve
students learning and understanding. The service should be an on-going process
which professional counsellors should embrace and encourage. These services
constitute the core of any guidance program and should be organised to
facilitate the growth and development of all students from kindergarten through
post high school experiences (Erford, 2010; Erford, 2011; Neukrug, 2011).
The most
important outcome of a guidance program is desirable change in the behaviour of
students, such as improved school attendance, better study habits, better
scholastic achievement, fewer scholastic failures, lower drop-out rate, better
educational planning, and better home-school relations. Effective guidance and
counselling programs balance corrective, preventive and developmental
functions. In collaboration with parents,
school
administrators and teachers, the school counsellor can effectively achieve the
goals of counselling.
Achievement
is an attainment of a given standard in a particular field by an individual. It
is an accomplishment of a task which is a source of joy to the individual as a
measure of his efforts. Okoro (2008), defines achievement as the state or
quality of excelling. In a related definition Njoku (2007), defines achievement
as the ability of an individual to accomplish his set goal. Achievement in the
school system involves the ability of students to realise their academic dreams
in the school. Academic achievement is synonymous with attainment, and has
strong correlation with motivation. Ncharam (2005), sees academic achievement
as the actualization of the educational standard and appropriate goals as the
major objective functions of school in the society. As used in this study,
academic achievement is the level of actual accomplishment or proficiency one
has achieved in an academic area. Academic achievement of students has been of
concern to parents, guardians, students and even the wider society, and it is
one of the most important goals of the educational process. The success or
failure of the students’ achievement depends on a number of factors such as
parental background, study habits and relationship with peers, among others. A
good supportive guidance and counselling program cannot only motivate the
child, but also enhance his scholastic achievement and hence a successful
transition to the next level of education.
Students
make many transitions in their lives such as beginning early childhood
education and care services, change year levels within a school, transfer from
one school to another, from primary school to secondary school, and from
secondary school to further education, training and employment (New Zealand
Ministry of Education, 2010). Cox and Kennedy (2008), viewed transition in
education as referring to the three major transitional points in the public
education system: when students move from elementary school to middle school,
from middle school to high school, and from high school to college. While
students experience other “transitions” during their educational journey such
as advancing from one grade level to the next, the three “major” transition
points are the focus of educators and school reformers. Often, transitioning
students often experience significant academic, social, emotional, physical or
developmental changes that may adversely affect their educational performance
(Cox and Kennedy, 2008). In this study, the researcher refers to school
transition as the shift that students make from secondary school into college
or university after obtaining good grades in their subject areas.
School
transition is a crucial period in the life of the student, where the academic
and social demands are higher, and yet it is extremely important because it
represents a major shift in the daily context in which children and adolescents
interact. For some students, it is stressful as it relates to a variety of
behaviour and psychological changes. Researches indicate that across
transition, students often experience changes in relationships with peers,
parents and teachers. In addition, behavioral problem often become evident
after a school transition which is particularly true when students interact
with new peer groups after the transition. McGee, Ward, Gibsons and Harlow
(2003) found that there was a strong correlation between the extent to which
students experienced difficulty following transition, and their likelihood of
dropping out from School. Other researches indicate that poor transitions impact
on students’ wellbeing and on their achievement in the future. A good
supportive school guidance and counselling program can maximise students’
achievement and also support them to make a successful transition which may
vary based on gender.
Gender refers
to the socially or culturally constructed characteristics and roles, which are
attached to males and females in any society. Gender according to Santrock,
(2008), refers to the characteristics of people as males and females. In the
same vein, Esparnol
, sees
gender as referring to the social attributes and opportunities that is
associated with being male and female and it has relationship between men and
women, girls and boys. Esparnol (2002), viewed these attributes and
relationships as being socially constituted and are learned through
socialization processes. Gender from the point of view of this study, refers to
cultural and social attributes associated with being a male or a female.
The issue of
gender disparity in education in Nigeria could best be perceived from a
statistical point of view from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) report for 2008 on primary school enrolment by
gender. According to UNESCO (2008), enrolment by gender in 2008 was 9.5 million
in Nigeria, where boys were 6.7 million representing 58.6% and girls 41.4%
respectively. Lagos state had 511,174 (61.2%) for male primary school enrolment
and 261,228 (48.8%) for females. Sokoto state had 166,700 (74.4%) for males and
57,898 for females (25.6%).
The above
statistics show crises of unequal access to education with respect to gender.
This disparity in terms of access to education, may not be unconnected with
some sociocultural factors like belief system, early marriage, poverty and
parental background. Some people’s cultural values show that females ought to
be subordinated to male and sending them to school would mean putting them on
equal status with male. Ogundunsi (2005), states that the culture and
traditions of many ethnic group in Nigeria seem to be obvious sign of gender
stereotyping. For Ogundunsi, education for females from the beginning was
designed just to make them primarily effective mothers and housewives. Females
are brought up in the traditional family set up to be passive, obedient and
always submissive and dependent on males. This shows that the belief system
held by Nigerian society is one of the factors which may be responsible for low
enrolment of girls in schools.
The
situation in Taraba State in general and the area of the study in particular is
not far from the above assertions. The cultural and social belief of the people
is such that agree with the general Nigeria cultural belief. The people until
now, believed that the education of the female “ends in the kitchen”, and it is
therefore, needless giving her formal education. This among other things may
have been responsible for low female school enrolment in the state over the
years when compared to their male counterparts. A comprehensive guidance and
counselling program therefore, may address these challenges, support students
to appreciate the place of education in their lives and also make a successful
transition to the next level of education particularly from secondary level to
tertiary.
Tertiary
education according to Campbell and Rozsnyai (2002) is any education entered
after successful completion of secondary education, which may include
vocational post-secondary education, (leading to a certification) and higher
education (leading to a degree), even though the designation is often used
synonymously with higher education. World Bank (2011), states that tertiary
education broadly refers to all post-secondary education, including but not
limited to universities. Universities are clearly a key part of all tertiary systems,
but the diverse and growing set of public and private tertiary institutions in
every country; colleges, technical training institutions, community colleges,
nursing schools, research laboratories, centres of excellence, distance
learning centres, and many more – form a network of institutions that support
the acquisition of higher education. Tertiary institutions in this study,
refers to those institutions that embark on studies beyond the level of
secondary
education
which at the end of the study a degree, diploma or certificate is awarded.
Okebukola
(2008) states that higher education provides high level human resources for
driving the economy and ensuring rapid societal transformation. The greater the
opportunity given to the citizenry for higher education, the more expansive the
horizon for rapid social and economic development. How much a nation’
progresses is a function of the quality of the educational attainment of its
citizens. This implies that the higher the level of educational attainment, the
more progressive a nation.
Guidance and
counselling programs in Nigeria were established to assist students develop
competencies needed to overcome academic, career and personal challenges,
(Federal
Government of Nigeria; NPE, 2004). The situation in Taraba state seems to
present some lapses in the implementation of this important educational policy.
Out of the 201 functional public secondary school in the state, only 70 schools
have trained guidance counsellors. The situation is indeed pitiable as it may
have been responsible for the educational challenges of the state among other
things. Evidences from the tables of result summary for West African
Examination Council (WAEC) from 2009 – 2013 (See Appendix A page 70), indicate
that the state had continued to record a mass failure in these important
terminal examination that qualify students for transition to tertiary
institutions. As a result, the academic achievement and transition rate of
students in the state have continued to decline. This is an ugly situation that
needs to be halted. It is therefore, based on this that the researcher tries to
investigates the influence of guidance and counselling services (as practiced
in the state), on the academic achievement and transition rate of the students
into tertiary institutions.
Statement of
the problem
The Federal
Government of Nigeria, in its National Policy on Education (2004), has mandated
every state to include guidance and counselling programs in the school
curriculum. Yet one wonders with dismay the slackness with which Taraba State
Government has taken the implementation of this important education policy.
This is evident in the fact that, of the 201 public secondary schools in the
state which are supposed to have professional guidance counsellors, only 70 out
of this number have. This has consistently affected the academic performance of
the students. No wonder the state’s general performances in the external
Examination of the West African Examination Council (WAEC), over the years have
been low, and consequently the rate of transition of students to tertiary
institutions. This then raises the following question: Does the provision of
Guidance and Counselling services have influence on the academic achievement
and transition rate of the students in the state? This was the issue the
researcher intended to investigate.
Purpose of
the Study
The main
purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of guidance and
counselling services on academic achievement and transition rate of Taraba
state secondary school students into tertiary institutions. Specifically, the
study sought to:
Ascertain
the provision of guidance and counselling services in Taraba state
secondary
schools.
Find out the
influence of guidance and counselling services on students’ academic
achievement.
Find out the
influence of guidance and counselling services on transition rate of
Taraba State
students to tertiary institutions.
Find out the
transition rate of male and female students to tertiary institutions.
Significance
of the Study
This study
has both practical and theoretical significance. Theoretically, the study was
based on Carl Rogers Client Centered theory and Erickson psychoanalytic theory
of development. However, the study was hinged on Erickson psychoanalytic theory
of development because of its premise that an individual’s life course is
influenced by the era, area and arrangement into which such an individual is
born. Also, much subsequent development depends upon where, when, and how much
other persons respond to the ever developing individual.
Practically,
the findings of this study will be of immense benefit to the government, school
administrators, parents, school counselors, students and researchers.
The findings
of the study will provide a guide for the government for adequate plans and
budgetary allocations for effective guidance and counselling services in
secondary schools. It will also help them to recognize the need for training
and recruitment of more professional counsellors into the schools.
To the
school administrators, the findings of the study will enable them appreciate
the importance of guidance and counselling services in the schools thereby
giving the counselors all the necessary support they need to discharge their
counselling duties effectively.
The findings
of this study will encourage parents to ensure that their wards are exposed to
school guidance and counselling services for greater academic achievement.
The results
of this research work will encourage students for greater participation in
guidance and counselling and other school-based programmes for maximal academic
performance and self fulfillment.
The findings
will also help school counsellors to be proactive in the discharge of their
counselling duties. It will as well create greater opportunities for them to be
sent by government on further trainings.
Findings and
recommendations from the study will no doubt provide materials that will
stimulate other researchers to widen the frontiers of knowledge in this area.
Scope of the
Study
The study
was delimited to senior secondary students three (SS3) in Wukari and Donga
Education zones of Taraba state. The study aimed at examining the influence of
guidance and counselling services on academic achievement and transition rate
of Taraba State students into tertiary institutions. It was therefore delimited
to the ascertainment of the types of guidance and counselling services being
offered, the influence of these services on students’ academic achievement and
whether the provision of these guidance and counselling services affect rate of
transition.
Research
Questions
The
following research questions were formulated to guide the study:
What is the
guidance and counselling services provided in Taraba state secondary schools?
What is the
influence of guidance and counselling services on students’ academic
achievement in Taraba state secondary schools?
What is the
influence of guidance and counselling services on transition rate of Taraba
state secondary school students into tertiary institutions?
What is the
transition rate of male and female secondary school students into tertiary
institutions?
Hypotheses
The
following null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of
significance.
There is no
significant difference in the academic achievement of Taraba state secondary
schools students who have been exposed to guidance and counselling services and
those not so exposed.
There is no
significant difference between the transition rate of secondary school students
exposed to guidance and counselling services and those not so exposed.
There is no
significant difference between the transition rate of male and female students
in Taraba State Secondary Schools.
HOW TO GET THE FULL PROJECT
WORK
PLEASE, print the following
instructions and information if you will like to order/buy our complete written
material(s).
HOW TO RECEIVE PROJECT
MATERIAL(S)
After paying the appropriate
amount (#5,000) into our bank Account below, send the following information to
08068231953 or 08168759420
(1)
Your project topics
(2)
Email Address
(3)
Payment Name
(4)
Teller Number
We
will send your material(s) after we receive bank alert
BANK ACCOUNTS
Account
Name: AMUTAH DANIEL CHUKWUDI
Account
Number: 0046579864
Bank:
GTBank.
OR
Account
Name: AMUTAH DANIEL CHUKWUDI
Account
Number: 2023350498
Bank:
UBA.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL:
08068231953 or 08168759420
AFFILIATE
Comments
Post a Comment