The role of effective guidance and counselling in curbing students unrest in secondary schools: a case study of Kangundo sub-county, Machakos county, Kenya

Abstract

The Government of Kenya in 1992 through its national policy on education highlighted the need for guidance and counseling services in Kenya‟s educational system to address the young people‟s apparent lack of awareness concerning skills on how to deal with some social problems. This called for the training of teachers in the field of guidance and counseling (Republic of Kenya, 1997). This study calls for an evaluation on follow-up of what has transpired in our schools since then, for reports of rampant students‟ riot and property destruction have continued to feature up to this moment. The study was guided by the following objectives; nature of counseling interventions administered in schools, Attitudes of students towards guidance and counseling, Effects of guidance and counseling in reducing students riots and Factors that hinder effective guidance and counseling. The study employed descriptive research design. Both primary and secondary data was collected. The study targeted 26 schools, 26 secondary school principals, 26 teachercounselors and 7,510 students. The sample size was 12 schools, 12 school heads, 12 teacher-counselors in charge of G&C departments and 96 students. Stratified random sampling and proportional allocation methods were used to sample and identify the number of schools in different stratum. Systematic random sampling method was used to sample the students involved in the study. Key informants were purposely sampled. Structured questionnaire with both open and closed questions was the main instrument of data collection. Interview guide was used to administer interviews for key informants. The study findings reveal that most schools are offering more of group and entire school forms of G&C than individual counseling which is more superior. The study found that attitudes of students towards G&C are still negative. Findings on effects of G&C in reducing students‟ unrests indicate that school riots are declining as more schools put emphasis on G&C interventions. Most students concurred that G&C has helped them resolve most of the problems they face hence contributed to a positive behavior change. The study also found that there are many hindrances to effective G&C such as teachercounselors lack relevant training in counseling, high teaching work load and lack of financial support among others. The study concludes that the remaining levels of unrests in schools are attributable to the remaining unresolved students‟ problems that have not been addressed through group and entire school forms of counseling. The study recommends that; schools should enhance individual counseling which is more superior, specific efforts be made to particularly improve attitudes of students towards G&C, G&C interventions be tailored to address emerging family issues and stress management among students and finally, government to work towards reducing syllabus load.