Status of counseling services in Ilala municipal’s public secondary schools: issues necessitating effective counseling service provision

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.