Influence of guidance and counselling on the behaviour of students in secondary schools in Likoni sub-county, Mombasa.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to find out the influence of guidance and counseling on the behaviour of students in Likoni Sub-County, Mombasa County. The objectives for the study were to identify factors responsible for the misbehaviour in secondary schools in Likoni Sub-County, to establish how behaviour of students is managed in schools, to investigate the students’ attitude towards guidance and counselling in the schools, to suggest appropriate strategies that would promote behaviour management in schools and to investigate the effect of guidance and counselling on behaviour management in the schools. This study used descriptive survey design. In this study the target population comprised of 24 secondary schools with a student population of 3563. There are 10 public schools two of which are day school while 8 are day schools. The private schools are 14, 3 of which are boarding schools while the rest are day schools. 10 principals and 10 teacher- counsellors were be selected using purposive sampling. The researcher used simple random sampling for the categories to determine the respondents among the students from mixed day and Boarding schools. The researcher used questionnaires to collect data from head teachers, teacher counsellors and forms four students. To collect the data the researcher obtained an authorization letter from the Sub-county director of Education, made copies and attached introductory letters to the questionnaire of every principal. Introductory visits were then made to the sampled schools. The questionnaires were administered to the selected form four student as one was given to the principal. The respondents were assured that their details were confidential to avoid cases of giving inaccurate information. The questionnaires were left with the respondents to be filled at their own pace and were picked later. Tables and figures were used to present the data. Data was finally arranged through quantitative method involving analyzing frequencies and percentages. Open ended questions were analyzed qualitatively through content analysis and thematically where the questions were arranged according to objectives of the study. The findings showed that there were many misbehavior in schools where laziness was the most common followed by rudeness, drug and substance use sneaking out of school, boy girl relationship, fighting among students, bulling others while homosexuality was least encountered. Various forms of punishment were preferred in correcting misbehaviour compared to guidance and counselling. The leading being suspension /calling parents and others. The outcome from guidance and counseling was appreciated in changing behaviour though a number of challenges hindered its effectiveness. Recommendations were that guidance and counselling departments should be fully equipped and teacher counsellors should be trained through workshops and seminars to make their services better and students should be sensitized in all necessary aspects of guidance and counselling to avoid underutilization of the departments. The researcher recommended a similar study to be done within the whole Mombasa County and another on influence of career guidance on choice of careers.