The relationship between the levels of professionalism and effectiveness of the teacher counselor in student guidance and counseling in secondary schools. A case of Nandi north district

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between the level of professionalism and effectiveness of the teacher-counselors in students guidance and counseling in secondary schools, Nandi North District. The study had five research questions which were of great significance in helping to discern the most important factors which operate in guidance and counseling activities so as to find out if the common assumptions that highly trained and professional teacher-counselors is highly effective. The methodology employed in this research was ex-post facto technique, with the use of stratified random sampling approach to identify schools and participants in the sampled schools. The research instruments used were:- Interviews. Questionnaires. From the analysis based on the research questions, the findings revealed that:- 1. There is a significant relationship between the level of professionalism and effectiveness of the teacher-counselors in student guidance and counseling. 2. Majority of the teacher-counselors are not trained in guidance and counseling. 3. The services offered by the teacher-counselors in guidance and counseling include academic, vocational, health, spiritual and social guidance and counseling. 4. Most of the teachers do not keep any records and the few who keep have students attendance files, personal/background information files. 5. Other than the teacher-counselors, parents, students, chaplains, peer counselors, teachers, head teachers and their deputies play significant role in guidance and counseling services. 6. There are many factors that are responsible for effectiveness of the teacher-counselors other than training.