A study to investigate perception of the role of the counsellors in secondary school in Nyeri, Kenya

Abstract

The study aimed at investigating whether, secondary school students, teachers, counselors and head teachers have different perceptions on the role of the counselor in secondary schools. The four groups perceptions were compared to establish which group was differing from the rest.

The population was drawn from ten boarding secondary schools. A total of three hundred and fourty nine subjects were sampled. There were four independent groups-teachers were sixty-four, students were two hundred and sixty five, while head teachers and counselors were both ten in each group.

A questionnaire was used to gather the necessary data from the subjects. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used.

The study found out that school student, teachers, counselors and head teachers differed in their perceptions of the role of the counselors. Specifically, there were significant differences between: Head teachers and teachers; teachers and counselors; teachers and students; counselors and students.

The study came up with various recommendations, with included, encouraging parental guidance at home before and after start of formal education; training of guidance counselors to promote the guidance programmes in schools programme which should be integrated in the school curriculum: encouraging and facilitating of cooperation among teachers, careers masters and head teachers so that they can promote the guidance programme in school.

The study also recommended the launching of a coordination committee, which should continously, evaluates the guidance programme among other duties.

Implementation of these recommendations is likely to raise the level of awareness on the importance of guidance and counseling in schools.