Stress-causing problems among public secondary school students and the challenges faced by the teacher-counsellor: a case study of students in Ngong division, Kajiado north district.

Abstract

This study examined stress-causing problems among public secondary school students and the challenges faced by the teacher-counsellor. Basically, counselling is a learning-oriented process, which occurs, usually in an interactive relationship. In this relationship, one person helps another to understand and solve their problems. In Kenya, secondary school students are at the turbulent age of adolescence (13-19 years). This is an age in human development characterized by identity versus role confusion. As such, most secondary school students experience a lot of stress in dealing with this ambiguous stage in life. The student is therefore in danger offorming maladaptive behaviour ifhe fails to achieve the desired goals. Effective counselling, especially in institutions of learning, has now become important. Counselling should empower students to participate fully in, and benefit from the economic and social development of the nation. Most students want to communicate with people who can help them. In schools, students are advised to seek help from the teacher-counsellor. However, the work of a teacher-counsellor in our present education system is very challenging. Ngong Division where the study was carried out, teach of the five public secondary schools in the division records very poor performance in national examinations. There is need to know what the problem is in the division. Most students come from very poor families and the frequent number of times they are sent out of class to get school fees not only affects their studies but also puts a lot of stress on them. Such students tend to be very selfconscious and withdrawn. The objectives of the study are: to look more closely into the problems causing stress in public secondary schools in Ngong Division; and show where and how the stressed and hurting students may find a listening ear that is compassionate irrespective of their causes and to find out the challenges faced by the teacher-counsellor in provision ofhislher services. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was used to analyse the data. During the study, most of the students indicated of the awareness of stress causing factors which included lack of interest in school, problem in boy/girl relationship, misunderstanding with parents, drug taking, low concentration and sexuality In seeking to establish the professional qualification of the teacher counsellors, the study found that more teachers in Ngong Division, Kajiado District have not attained the highest level of training in counselling skills though they were all professional teachers. Competency and trust of teacher-counsellor can attract many students to the counselling department. The study found that students tend to seek help more frequently from peer counsellors perhaps. Basing on the findings the study draws the following conclusions most secondary school students join form one on the onset of adolescence (14-19years) counselling services in schools should be emphasised. Students need to be made aware of the importance of the teacher counsellor services. Most teacher-counsellors were willing to train on counselling skills if they are given enabling incentives. Factors that hinder the success of counselling intervention other than lack of professionalism of teacher counsellors, lack of counselling offices and a clear time set for counselling should be studied such as: non-availability of teacher counsellor, bad prior counsell ing experience and negative attitude of students towards counselling. The implication of this is that eradication of these factors will lead to more students making use of the counselling services. The following recommendation was made that there should professional training of teacher -counsellors and resources and facilities should be availed by the school administration.