An assessment of counselling needs of adolescent students in Ethiopia : a case in Sheka and Bench Maji zones

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to establish the counselling needs of secondary and preparatory school (Grades 9-12) adolescent students and to develop a comprehensive counselling model mainly from the perspectives of students and significant others. This study is born of concerns about the social, emotional, academic difficulties adolescents face and career concerns of learners without access to support services to assist them. The samples of the study were 256 students for quantitative data; for FGD-48 participants – (16 students, 18 teachers including counsellors, and 12 AdGs including 4 parents and 2 principals) were selected. The samples were selected by employing multi stage methods. Questionnaires, interviews and record analysis were used as instruments. The study used Sequential Mixed Method research design: The quantitative data was collected first and followed by qualitative data. Then, the data were analysed by employing statistical data analyses for quantitative data (Descriptive and inferential), including T-test and one-way ANOVA was tested for significance. In connection with this, percentage and mean were employed. For qualitative data, content analyses of transcripts of the qualitative information (in-depth interview of Focus Group interview results) were carried out to generate concepts, patterns and key themes. The study targeted to assess in what areas students need counselling assistances, and then assessed whether these needs vary according to school background, by gender, age group and across grade level. In line with this, the study attempted to examine the existing counselling practices whether it has been properly addressing the students’ needs or not; and also assessed to what extent it addressed the students’ needs, the barriers of addressing their needs and the way to improve the counselling needs of students with intension to develop the comprehensive counselling model. Accordingly, the study revealed the counselling needs areas like academic, relational, emotional, behavioural and career supports. Then, they were requested to prioritize their needs and they reported that counselling services, placement and information services in descending order. The study also revealed that students have great personal, school and comprehensive needs (Academic, personal-social and career needs in sub scale/theme categories) that call for the attention of concerned others. These research outcomes ascertained that the existing counselling services have not been properly and effectively addressing the needs of students. Barriers to address needs of students, awareness problems, absence of mandatory counselling policy and lack of emphasis due to understanding problems were considered as major challenges not to address the needs of students. Finally, the study concluded that the counselling programme/services are highly valued by students and teachers as well as by key informant groups that participated in focus group discussions. The study explored the possible alternative framework that can better enhance the comprehensive counselling procedure and tried to assess the need differences across gender, age group, grade level and school names, and came up with that there were similarities and need differences across these variables. Finally, possible interpretation and implication of the study including the recommendations were provided.