Abstract:
The aim of a school is to develop academic domain, to build personal and social health and
bring out the best person to the society. Promoting the efforts of improving students both
academically, personally and socially requires investigating issues that may hinder healthy
development of the person during education process. This study sought to evaluate the status of
counseling services in public secondary schools. Specifically, the study evaluated counseling
issues among students in Ilala secondary schools and examined strategies used to resolve the
prevailed counseling issues. The study employed phenomenological design of qualitative
approach with a sample size of 61 respondents including students and teachers who were
selected purposively. Interviews and focus group discussions were methods of gathering data
for the study. Data were thematically analysed to reveal counseling issues and strategies used
to resolve them at school. The findings revealed that students were exposed to a variety of
issues that need concrete definition in the process of resolving .However, the strategies used to
resolve the students’ counseling issues were found to be inadequate to curb the complexity of
some determined issues. The study concludes that the prevailed situation among students
results from the customary approach of counseling services provision in practice that do not
cover counseling needs of students fully. Thus, the study recommends the need for matching
students’ counseling needs with appropriate approach hence, the demand of effective
counseling services provision from qualified counselors with design programs.
