Challenges encountered in the implementation of guidance and counselling programme in public secondary schools of Othaya Division, Nyeri District, Kenya

Abstract

Guidance and counselling is an integral part of the education system in Kenya. Secondary schools have implemented guidance and counselling programme as a government policy requirement. The programme is meant to prevent students’ maladjustment, lead to development of human potential, assist individual to self-actualization and simultaneously benefit the society. The purpose of this study was to investigate challenges encountered in the implementation of guidance and counselling programme in public secondary schools in Othaya Division. Descriptive survey design was utilised in the study. The target population was 4600 Form 3 and 4 students in 30 public secondary schools. A sample of 15 public secondary schools was obtained using stratified sampling technique to cater for the different categories of schools. A sample of 15 principals and 15 teacher counsellors was purposefully selected from the selected schools while 148 students were proportionately and randomly sampled. Three different types of questionnaires, for the principals, teacher counsellors and students were used to collect data after piloting them to ascertain their validity and reliability. The co-efficient alpha formula was used to determine the reliability of instruments. Reliabilities of 0.72, 0.71 and 0.75 were obtained from the principals, teacher counsellors and students questionnaires respectively. Descriptive statistics was used in data analysis. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer programme was used to compute the data collected. The major findings were that guidance and counselling is offered in all public secondary schools, teacher counsellors lack professional qualification, there is inadequate provision of resources and there is over emphasis of cognitive aspect at the expense of affective aspects of development in school guidance and counselling. The study recommends that the programme be strengthened through training of teacher counsellors, provision of sufficient facilities, allocation of time for counselling and also involvement of parents in the programme. It is hoped that the study findings and recommended solutions will help improve service delivery in guidance and counselling programme in Othaya Division.