GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING SERVICES IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS AS A MEANS FOR RE-ENGINEERING THE NIGERIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS. Ugwude, D. I.

GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING SERVICES IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS AS A MEANS FOR RE-ENGINEERING THE NIGERIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS.

 

Ugwude, D. I. (Ph.D)

Department of Early Childhood and Primary Education

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

 

Prof J. U. Ibiam

Educational foundations

University of Nigeria, Nsukka

And

Bosah, I. P. (Ph.D)

Department of Early Childhood and Primary Education

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

 

Abstract

This study investigated guidance and counselling services in primary school as a means for re-engineering the Nigerian educational system for sustainable development: Problems and prospects. The study was carried out in Nsukka Local Government Education Authority of Enugu State. Two research questions guided the study and the design of the study was descriptive design. The population consisted of 375 counsellors in primary schools in Nsukka Local Government Education Authority. Simple random sampling by balloting was used to select the respondents. The sample size of one hundred and twenty (120) respondents was used for the study. Data was collected using a 20 item structured questionnaire tagged Prospects of Guidance and Counselling Services for Sustainable Development (PGCSSD) Questionnaire. The instrument was face validated by three experts, two experts in childhood education and one in guidance and counselling. A gross reliability coefficient of 0.78 was obtained using Cronbach-Alpha method. Mean and Standard Deviation were used to answer the research questions. Findings revealed that administrators not recognizing with counsellors, inadequate time for counselling, dual role conflict, and government policy on the implementation and support of guidance and counselling services among others are the problems facing guidance and counselling services in primary school. Also, findings revealed that identifying with counsellors, counsellors performing their duties alone, guidance and counselling should be included in the school time table, provision of adequate fund and training and retraining of counsellors in ICT among others are the way forward for guidance and counselling services in primary schools.It was recommended that seminars and workshop should be organized for Counsellors to enhance their professional competency and counselling should be a full-time job in schools and no other duty assign to counsellors among others.

 

Key Words: Early childhood education, Sustainable development, Education for sustainable development, Guidance and counselling, Primary education.