An assessement of the effectiveness of school guidance and counselling services in Zimbabwean secondary schools

Abstract

The present study attempted to assess the effectiveness of the Zimbabwean secondary school guidance and counselling services from school counsellors' and students' perspective. Available literature shows that students worldwide, including Zimbabwe, experience problems which schools should solve through the provision of guidance and counselling. It was therefore, important to the researcher to assess the effectiveness of the school guidance and counselling services in meeting students' concerns.

The research design consisted of a literature and an empirical study. The survey method was used in the empirical study. A self constructed questionnaire was used. Three hundred and fourteen school counsellors and 636 students participated in this study.

The SAS/STAT version 9.1 was used to analyse the data. One way and combined two way frequency tables were calculated. Ratios were calculated to establish the relative rating of each item. Chi-square tests were also calculated.

The study revealed that there were differences between the level of the school guidance and counselling services in Zimbabwean secondary schools and the international arena. For example, school guidance and counselling services policy in Zimbabwe was not mandatory as compared to the international policies. The Zimbabwean school guidance and counselling services were not always planned for at the beginning of each year, Students and parents were not frequently involved in needs assessment while the services were not frequently evaluated in comparison with those in the international arena.

The study also revealed that some biographical variables significantly influenced the way the respondents responded to given items while others did not. The study revealed that the majority of both school counsellors and students viewed the school guidance and counselling services as beneficial and school counsellors as effectively playing their role. The study further revealed that the effectiveness of the Zimbabwean secondary school guidance and counselling services was negatively affected by lack of resources and training in guidance and counselling and non-counselling duties performed by school counsellors.

Recommendations for future approaches and strategies in secondary school guidance and counselling services in Zimbabwe are made. Areas for further research are proposed.