TSC Calls for Strengthening of Guidance and Counselling in Schools
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has called for the strengthening of guidance and counselling departments in schools in Kenya to reduce indiscipline and help learners cope with their emotions.
The Commission has expressed concern that the guidance and counselling departments in most Kenyan primary and secondary schools are being treated as peripheral to the core curriculum, with little time and other resources allocated to their activities.
Nakuru County TSC Deputy Director, Margaret Amateshe, indicated that while other departments like curriculum, languages, humanities, sciences, or games are invested in to gain fame and win prizes, the guidance and counselling department is underrated, mishandled, and misunderstood.
The thirst for good grades has wiped out its crucial role, as school timetables have been portioned with classwork from dawn to dusk, which teachers utilize in completing the syllabus instead.
Ms Amateshe suggested that the department in every school be manned by at least three teachers trained as counsellors, who are updated on the challenges of modern learners, through appraisal or continuous training. She explained that unlike the teaching role, a guidance and counselling teacher is trained to be empathetic and caring, characteristics which contrast the role of admonishing and punishing.
The report, titled ‘Do our Children Have Life Skills and Values’ and compiled by Zizi Afrique in collaboration with Regional Education Learning Initiative (RELI), analyzed 17,276 learners in Nakuru County. The Deputy Director indicated that the place of guidance and counselling should be centered as core to the learning process and allocated more physical and curriculum space.
According to Amateshe, in a functioning system, specific counselling schedules should be included in the school timetable. The department should be furnished with adequate resources and infrastructure such as offices and counselling clinics. Learners need a friendly face that will listen to them, and they’ll be guided.
Quality Assurance and Standards Officer from the Ministry of Education, Lilian Achode, observed that guidance and counselling in most schools was reactive.
In some schools, the guidance and counselling teachers only got involved when cases of alcohol and drugs use had been noted, or when students have been caught with either alcohol or drugs. Learners often failed to open up during counselling sessions because they didn’t trust their teachers.
Achode further recommended a mentoring initiative that targets every learner, which she said can be a game-changer. She stated that a well-thought-out mentoring programme can enable students to make a seamless transition from primary to secondary school and inculcate new mind-sets.
This will challenge them to make optimal use of time in a setting of meager resources.
TSC Calls for Strengthening of Guidance and Counselling in Schools
