Challenges facing guidance and counseling departments in public secondary schools in Mbooni East District, Makueni county

Abstract

Since the inception of Mbooni East District six years ago, there has been several cases of indiscipline in public secondary schools resulting to poor academic performance. Increased cases of school drop outs, teenage pregnancies, drug and alcohol abuse and school unrests. This year more than seventy percent (70%) of the boarding public secondary schools in the district went on strike over issues that could have been sought out through dialogue. The purpose of this study was to identify the challenges facing guidance and counseling departments in public secondary schools in Mbooni East District, Makueni County,. The objectives of the study were to determine the effect of lack of qualified personnel to offer guidance and counseling services in secondary schools. Lack of appropriate facilities where guidance and counseling services can be offered. Sample population included six head teachers, six teachers who offer guidance and counseling services, four hundred and fifty (450) form two students. A descriptive research design was adopted. Stratified random sampling techniques were used to select the respondents. The research instruments included interview schedules for the g/c teachers, students and observation schedules for the researcher. The instruments were piloted in another secondary school to establish their reliability. Data was analyzed using statistical techniques and reported using frequency counts and percentages and presented in form of tables, bar charts and pie charts. Based on the results of the study, the major findings were that, there are many areas of guidance and counseling services provided to students in public secondary schools which include academic, social, vocational, health, personal, mental and family as well as spiritual. The study gives that the most common areas of guidance and counseling provided to students were on academic. There are many cases of immorality among the high school students and the commonly found by the researcher includes; drugs and alcohol abuse, stealing/theft, school drop out and premarital sex between boys and girls. The guidance and counseling in public secondary schools are very beneficial to the students on influencing their academic and social behavior change. The researcher recommends that: the TSC recruits more properly trained professional counselors to cater for the growing number of students in secondary schools. School administration to facilitate training of peer counselors. School to provide facilities where teachers can offer guidance and counseling services.