Chapter One

Introduction

1.1     Background to the Study

In Nigeria society like all other fast developing countries, one discovers that guidance and counselling services are indispensable in all areas of our national life. The absence of guidance and counselling services in any nation may lead into various problems which might affect the life of the majorities. One of such problem that may arise is the serious uncertainty in assessing students’ innate abilities when it comes to educational consideration.

In school today one cannot boast of a good number of students who have discovered their talents or academic potentialities in secondary schools. The schools have not done much to help or assist students discover their innate abilities through the help of guidance and counselling. Therefore, students just choose to study all subjects in school curriculum without any special note of strength and weaknesses of each student.

The result of this ignorance of guidance and counselling is that many students are not sure of the subject to study for their school certificate examination. Hence, they fail to have a good combination of result.

Many students have results that seem to be very good but without good or required combination for courses in any of the tertiary institution. There is the cross-road of uncertainty creeps in decision about what courses to pursue or what profession to prepare for or what higher educational institution to go before it difficult to make.

Moreover, it is in the view of this situation that the students who fail to perform well in examination are not necessarily because of poor intellectual ability but because they fail to adopt effective study skills due to ignorance or neglected of guidance and counselling.

It is in the view of this situation that the researcher advocates guidance and counselling as one of such educational services that are aimed to develop assess improve educational programmes and making learning experiences more meaningful especially for the secondary school students.

Apparently, guidance and counselling also assist the secondary school students adjust properly to family school, peer association and society in general. Carefully study of the students interest (extrinsic and intrinsic) abilities, strength, future aspiration capabilities and weaknesses it is also meant to:

(a)                Guide students to discover the subject curriculum which aggress with their innate abilities.

(b)               To direct the students to choose a suitable subject combination for their future careers.

(c)                Provide students with enough information about the viable occupations in the areas of their interest and lead them to choose one of two such areas.     

Finally, it is very important that guidance and counselling can not be overlooked or neglected in the academic performance of secondary school students.

1.2     Statement of the Problem

The neglect of guidance and counselling in schools have been one of the contributing factors to the poor performance of students in the secondary schools. The guidance and counselling personnel found themselves in school are engaged with some other academic responsibilities which have been preventing them from giving their very best and time for guidance and counselling services.

The guidance and the counsellor have not gotten the time and administrative support to perform that one-to-one inter-personal relationship by which problems of the deeply affected client could be solved.

1.3     Purpose of the Study

This study was carried out

(a)                To find out if there is need for guidance and counselling services in school.

(b)               To find out the consequences of the neglect and counselling in the performance of students.

(c)                To find out the possible reasons for the neglect of guidance and counselling in schools.

(d)               To find out the qualification of teacher that can affect the services of guidance and counselling.

1.4     Research Questions

(a)                Is there any need for guidance and counselling in our secondary school?

(b)               What are the possible reasons for neglecting the guidance and counselling services in secondary schools?

(c)                What are the consequences of the neglect of guidance and counselling in student academic performance in secondary school subject?

1.5     Significance of the Study 

The result of the findings of this study will provide basis for affective services of guidance and counselling in secondary schools to enhance excellent performance of students in the secondary schools. It is also hoped that it will help the government to make initiative of providing guidance and counselling in secondary schools.

1.6     Scope of the Study

Thus study will focus on the academic performance of students in junior secondary schools three and senior secondary schools one including the effect of the neglect of guidance and counselling services.

1.7     Definition of Terms

(1)        Neglect: This means that when someone fail to do something or failed to yield to any advice been given to him by any personnel.

(2)        Guidance: It means the process of keeping someone to understand himself. It is also the process of controlling or advising somebody by somebody with more experience.

(3)        Counselling: It is the process of assisting people or giving professional advice about a problem.

(4)        Guidance and counselling: This is a continuous interaction process which is directed towards discovering and individual better, understanding himself recognize and utilize his talent and beware of this strengths and weaknesses and solve his problems in the most condiment atmosphere.