Influence Of Guidance And Counseling Services On The Career Choice Of Students In Secondary Schools

INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Guidance and counseling as a course study has been conceptualized as a programme of activities which has provided man with the gateway out of the existing numerous problems in this present age of complex scientific and technological development (Okobiah and Okorodudu 2004).
The UNESCO module on guidance and counseling (2000a) also stated that guidance is a programme of service to individuals based on their needs and influence of environmental factors. Guidance and counseling is a professional field which has a broad range of activities, programmes and services geared towards assisting individual to understand themselves, their problems, their school environment and their world and also to develop adequate capacity for making wise choice on their career.
There is agreement among experts that there are three major components of guidance and counseling. These are educational guidance, vocational guidance and personal social guidance UNESCO module (2000a). Under these three major areas, there are several guidance and counseling services such as appraisal, information, placement, orientation, evaluation, referral and follow-up Dengo (2001). Each of these major components of guidance and counseling along with their services address students need, challenges and problems.
The goal of guidance and counseling services is to enable ear learner in institutions of learning to derive optimal educational benefits so as to actualize his/her potentials.
Thus, the highlights of the national policy on education (1998) states in view of the apparent ignorance of many young people about career prospects and in view of personality adjustments among school children, career officers and counselors will be anointed in post-primary institutions and tertiary levels. Unfortunately, the practice of these services in our institutions of learning is nothing to write home about.
The programme is not encouraging at the secondary school level and even at the university level.
Anwana (1984) and Abiri (1996) argued that if the society is not to be plagued by a band/group of disgruntled, frustrated and unrealistic individuals, it is desirable that adequate guidance and counseling and career information be provided, to enable the school and society arrive at a realistic vocational choice for their children/wards with due realization of their potentials.
Previous studies such as those of Achebe (1986), Adenula (1988); Bulus (2001); Denga (2001); Edet (2008); have shown that principals and teachers constitute the greatest obstacles to the success of guidance and counseling services in schools. The report showed a negative attitude of school authorities to guidance services and to counselor in particular.
Adimla (1988) also attributed the negative attitude to the ignorance of principals and teacher about the relevance of guidance services in schools.
Achebe (1986) explained that the counselor is being seen as a new comer to the school system who is still being regarded with some sense of suspicion and caution and distancing. According to her, some of the principals and teachers regarded the services of the counselors as an unnecessary frill.
Bulus (2001) believed that principals and teachers misconceived the counsellors’ status, which often creates conflicts between them and in most cases teachers who being in the need for counselors in the school may see no reason why there should be full time counselor in schools.
Denga (2001) stressed that the principals who know little about counseling will not in any way appreciate the need for the counselor to be relieved of heavy teaching load and other co-curricular duties such principals with stifle the counsellor’s work by withholding budgetary allocation for guidance services.
Achebe (1986) stated that some principals are rigid and traditional and would not welcome new ideas. She said even when principals are aware that modern schools require the practice of the counselor, they may deliberately bark at the idea of implementing the guidance services in the school practice for the erroneous argument that historically, the school has operated successfully without formal guidance.
Edet (2008) on her research with 99 subjects on parents and teachers’ perception of vocational guidance in secondary schools in Calabar metropolis discovered that teachers perception/attitude towards vocational guidance services was significantly negative (+=-4.6).
Educational therefore, to become functional and effective for individual and national development guidance and counselor has to be incorporated in our institutions.

Statement of the Problem
Education has a responsibility of developing unique qualities of each individual.
In this education, the individual has the opportunity to enlarge special interest, abilities and talents. The secondary school students need a lot of information on their career choice to enable them perform better in the world of work. But unfortunately the lack of guidance and counseling services on the career choice of secondary school students create problem to them. They found it difficult to select the subjects that will lead them into choosing their subject choice due to relationship between career and subjects. The lack of guidance and counseling services made the students ignorance about the world of work. The services available to them are not competent enough to give the students adequate information on their career choice. They lack some accommodation for guidance and counselor services some of the teachers were very unco-operative.
Principals of the schools failed to co-operate in supporting guidance and counseling in the secondary schools. They could not finance any guidance programme in the school to enable counselors help the students in their career choice. As a result of these, secondary school students remained ignorance and lack the appropriate information about their career choice.

Purpose of the study
The purpose of this study is to find out the influence of guidance and counseling services on the career choice of students in secondary schools in Enugu North L.G.A. of Enugu State. Specifically the study intends to find out;
1. How the functions of guidance and counseling services influence students choice of career
2. How students in secondary school perceives the services of guidance and counselors.
3. How qualification of guidance and counseling influence students in secondary schools in Enugu Local Government Area.
4. How enough materials influence the effectiveness of guidance services?

Scope of Study
This study is limited to Enugu North Local Government Area. The students are the point of focus.
Research Questions
1. To what extent does the function of guidance counsellors influence students choice of career.
2. To what extent to do the students perceives the services of guidance and counselor services.
3. To what extent does the qualification of guidance and counseling influence students in secondary school in Enugu North Local Government Area?
4. To what extent do enough materials influence the effective guidance services?

Significance of the study
This particular work would be of much benefit to everybody concerned with the education of the child. These include the child himself, the teachers, parents, guidance and counselors and community.
The study will make the child understand himself in terms of abilities, interests and aptitudes so that with this understanding, he or she can explore his future which will put him/her in a better position to benefit from instructions. He will find out suitable course of study and careers, find and make a place for himself in the life around him and develop a distinct personality.
These better aspiration of the students would be better off where an effective resource materials are made available for effective career choice of students in secondary schools.
This study will help students have more understanding on their career choice and selection, and all that it takes to be in career. Then the place of guidance and counseling services will be uplifted in the society.