International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VII, Issue I, January 2020 | ISSN 2321–2705

History and Development of Guidance and

Counselling in Nigerian Educational System: The
Bottlenecks
Dr Dorcas Oluremi FAREO
Department of Educational Foundations, Adamawa State University, Nigeria

Abstract: - This paper examined the concepts of Guidance and II. CONCEPT OF GUIDANCE
Counselling, History and development of Guidance and
counselling in Nigeria, principles of guidance and counseling are Busari (2005) defines guidance as the process of
highlighted. The bottlenecks in the growth of Guidance and helping individuals discuss and develop their educational,
Counselling in Nigeria educational system include: All schools vocational, and psychological potentiality and thereby
from primary to all tertiary institutions should be equipped with achieve an optimal level of personal happiness and social
adequate counsellors in order to render quality guidance and usefulness. Akinboye (2000) opined that provision of
counseling services that will help the students to realize their guidance in schools is necessary to help students gain
potentials in life. Counsellors should work hand in hand with adequate knowledge and understanding about the skills,
other professionals in schools to achieve success. All stakeholders
of education should collaborate together in removing the
attitudes and values that they must cultivate in order to live
bottlenecks hindering the growth of guidance and counselling in comfortably in a constantly changing society. According to
Nigeria educational system as non-clarification of counsellor’s Egbo (2015), guidance is a programme of service meant to
roles in a school setting; time allocation; location of counselling enhance the ability of clients to cope with circumstances and
offices; shortage of counselling personnel; lack of recognition; be of need to themselves and the society. Guidance enables
confidentiality; problems inherent in counselling personnel; clients to make choices which are intended to bring self-
insufficient psychological testing; lack of fund; and lack of direction and adjustment. It is designed to help clients adjust
occupational information. It is recommended that fiscal support meaningfully to the environment, develop the ability to set
should be given to the establishment of guidance services by both realistic goals and improve on total educational programmes.
the Federal and State government like other arms of educational
support institutions. This would assist in the effective running of According to Egbo (2015), Guidance and Counselling
the programme. therefore recognizes the worth and dignity of the individual
Keywords: Guidance and Counselling, helping relationship; and is designed to enhance, the total development of mental,
principles, guidance services and confidentiality. vocational, emotional, intellectual and socio personal aspects
of the clients. It is purely an education service which among
I. CONCEPT OF COUNSELLING others:

A ccording to Willey and Andrew (2011), counselling

involves two individuals one seeking help and other a
professionally trained person who helps to solve problems,
 Develop,
programmes
assess and improve educational

 Enhance teaching and improve the competence of

orient and direct him towards a goal which leads to his teachers
maximum development and growth. Counselling services are
 Make reasoning more meaningful to children
therefore required for individuals having developmental
 Reduce educational costs
problems because of the handicap they suffer in any area of
emotional either because of hereditary factors or environment  Develop and promote an effective use of innovative
conditions. materials in schools.(Federal Republic of Nigeria,
2014). This is consequent on the fact that Nigerian
Counselling is an integral part of an over-all programme of philosophy of education is based on the assimilation
guidance. Counseling is a process designed to help clients of the individual into a sound and effective citizen
understand and clarify personal views of their life space, and and equal educational opportunities for all her
to learn to reach their self-determined goals through citizenry.
meaningful, well-informed choices and a resolution of
problems of an emotional or interpersonal nature. It believes III. HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDANCE
that every human individual has the potential for self-growth, AND COUNSELLING
self-development and self-actualization (Ndum & The development of guidance and counseling started in
Onukwugha, 2013)/. Nigeria for various reasons which include: expansion in the
enrollment of pupils in the primary and secondary schools

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International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VII, Issue I, January 2020 | ISSN 2321–2705

after the independence in 1960, the growing need of youth in needs to base his/her guidance and counseling practice on
Nigeria, repeated changes in the education system and unrest certain peinciples some of which are
in tertiary institutions and the changes in home and family life
1. Guidance services are for all people. A programme
(F GN,2014 edition). According to Busari (2005),
of guidance services is potentially intended for all
Owuamanam, (2007, Ndum and Onukwugha (2013) and
people, and not only those who have problems.
Omoniyi (2016), it is generally accepted that in Nigeria the
Students, staff, the community and other agencies
organized and formal guidance and counseling service started
may benefit directly from a programme of guidance
in 1959 at St. Theresa’s College, Oke Ado Ibadan, by a group
services. Even, if an individual is not experiencing
of dedicated religious ever end sisters who had the perception
educational, vocational or personal-social problems,
of the need for proper guidance in job selection for their
such a person may need some help or to be motivated
secondary school leavers. They invited some twenty outsiders
to plan his/her life more meaningfully.
to advise them about placing sixty of their final year female
2. Guidance services are voluntary and not by force or
students in appropriate careers. This is about eight decades
coercion. The student may be persuaded but not
after the birth of an established and functional guidance and
forced to participate in a counseling encounter. Shy
counselling services in America. The advisers even though
and reluctant clients may be referred to the
were not vocational guidance specialists, later formed the core
counsellor by their parents, teachers, friends or other
of what later became the Nigerian career council.
significant persons, but the counsellor has no right to
The Federal Ministry of Education in its efforts to force a client to come for counseling.
encourage guidance education established a guidance 3. Guidance services are for all school levels.
counselling unit in 1961 and employed an education officer Appropriate types of counseling techniques should
named Mr C. I. Berepeki to serve as Vocational Guidance be fashioned to suit the needs of counselles at
Officer in the Federal Ministry of Education. This official primary school, junior secondary, senior secondary
gesture went a long way to stimulate and promote a steady school and post secondary institutions of Nigerian
interest in professional guidance and counseling in the then educational system. Counsellors should realize that
Western part of Nigeria which established an Advanced the types of problems and concerns of the client fifer
Teachers’ College of Education named Olunloyo College of from one age to the other.
Education. The College was staffed with a team of experts in 4. Guidance services are aimed primarily at preventing
Education and Counselling from Ohio State University, problems than solving them. The primary goal of
United State of America. Such group of lecturers according to counseling is to prevent major problems from
records included the eminent personalities in counseling. occurring. In life situations, however, problems still
occur which the school counsellor should deal with
According to Akinboye in Owuuamanam (2007), the first
to assist his/her client.
series of Nigeria Diploma Certificate in Counselling were
5. Guidance services do not provide solution to all
awarded in this college and the beneficiaries of these awards
human problems. Counsellors should assist clients to
were the first cream of teacher/career masters and counsellors
resolve as many problems as possible; but some
that arose in Nigeria time. Akinboye in (Owuamanam (2007)
problems definitely fallout of their competence.
noted that the first workshop on Vocationa; Guidance
Unresolved problems can be referred to more
Counselling and Testing in Nigeria was organized in 1964 by
competent agencies for possible solution. The
the Federal Ministry of Education. This brought all the career
counsellor should recognize his limitations and
masters and all those potential guidance counsellors under
promptly refer clients to other agencies whose
various voluntary organizations together. The first indigenous
services will better meet the needs of the clients
Department of Guidance and Counselling was established at
which the counsellor has identified.
the University of Ibadan in 1975; and the inauguration of the
6. Guidance services must ensure the security and
Counselling Association of Nigeria in 1976 at the same
confidentiality of all personal information revealed
University of Ibadan as an affiliation of the American
either directly by the client during the counseling
Personnel and Guidance Association (APGA). The Federal
interview or through data collection process.
Government then inserted the need for guidance and
Confidential information should only be shared with
counselling services and courses in our schools in its National
others with the consent of the client or if to do so will
Policy on Education by 1981. This then led the state
serve the interest of the client and the law of the land.
governors to establish guidance and counselling units in their
If a client confides in the counsellor that he /she has
ministries of education, in addition to counselling units in the
committed one type of crime, the counsellor should
universities.
strongly persuade him/her to stop such a criminal act;
IV. PRINCIPLES OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING he should not report the confidential information to
the law enforcement agencies or the principal. A
Olayinka (2005) posited that in effort to help the client
counsellor should not betray trust and confidentiality
to develop self-understanding, self-fulfillment, self-
which the counselee has in him/her.
clarification and self-determination, the school counsellor

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International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VII, Issue I, January 2020 | ISSN 2321–2705

7. Guidance services should be rendered on a according to Busari, (2005),and Omoniyi (2016) are as
continuous basis. As a person grows up, his/her follows:
needs, interests, goals, aspirations and plans may also
Non-clarification of Counselor’s Role in a School Setting:
change. Guidance services should not be a once –
and for- all affair, but should follow up the In successful organization of guidance and counseling
developmental pattern of an individual as much as it programme, attempt should be made to clarify the role of the
is feasible. counsellor. This lack of clarity of role has led to some
8. Guidance services should recognize the worth and unpleasant experiences. Some principals and teachers are not
dignity of the individual client. Counsellors should to clear about the role of guidance professionals while some
accept their clients with empathic understanding, vice-principals have even viewed counsellors as rivals(
congruence and unconditional positive regard as Busari, 2005 & Omoniyi, (2016). They are regarded with
postulated by Carl Rogers. Other school personnel suspicion even by other teachers. Some advocate that since
such as members of the school disciplinary counsellors are in the educational setting and staffing
committee may be inclined to summarily dismiss a problems are being experienced, the counsellor should also
student due to shortcomings or violation of school perform teaching role. So in many cases the counsellor
regulations. Guidance services focus on the because of the burden of adding counselling to normal
reformation of the offender and the need to plan for teaching, makes the guidance programme tedious. There is
alternative behaviour for the client to adopt. Thus, also the likelihood that when the counsellor becomes a
the counsellor holds a positive and patient view that classroom teacher, the transference of behaviour as a teacher -
most individuals with maladaptive behaviours could as an authority figure of students, hinders the counseling
be changed through adequate learning processes. relationship. The counsellor is also expected sometimes to
9. Guidance services are based on the total development perform the role of disciplinarian which of course negates the
of mental, vocational, emotional and personal-social relationship between him and the students who are supposed
aspects of an individual. Intellectual development to be free to interact with him as the counsellor.
alone is limiting. The cognitive, affective and
Time Allocation
psychomotor domains of the individual are all
important and should be emphasized. Many school authorities refuse to give definite time to
10. Guidance services may manipulate the environment school counsellor to perform the guidance and counselling
to help the client. A counsellor may look for programme. Instead, they are engaged in teaching some other
employment opportunities for his her client’s subjects or in doing other administrative jobs. Scheduling time
consideration. The counsellor may intervene on for counselling has met with problems. Cursory observations
behalf of his/her client tro seek for scholarship or and practical experience shows that most principals do not
prevent other persons from frustrating him/her. want counselling during school hours because no time has
been provided for it on the school time table. According to
V. BOTTLENECKS OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING
them, it would probably disturb the school activities. However
IN THE NIGERIAN SCHOOL SYSTEM
for the counsellor in the school who at the same time has to
Omoniyi (2016) asserts that in the Nigeria school system keep up with the teaching function, it may not be easy for him
today, cursory observations reveal that guidance and to wait after school hours for group or individual counseling.
counselling have not been accepted and given its appropriate Students too are not patient enough and parents may also
position in the various levels of schools. This is despite the frown at their staying behind after school hours. Others
fact that it has been categorically stated in the Federal advocate for the break time and sometimes library period.
Republic of Nigeria, (2014 revised), that guidance and However, the counsellor may have classes at these periods
counselling was the cinderella of the 6-3-3-4 system of and in most cases these times are too short for any meaningful
education. The guidance and counselling services are an guidance programme to take place (Omoniyi,2016).
indispensable part of any school administration in the primary,
Unstable Government Policy
secondary and higher levels of education. They are important
to achieving the national set educational goals at these levels. Unstable government policies affect to a large extent a
Although there are stated guidance counselling goals and number of things to our school. The school guidance
objectives in the National policy of Education for primary programme is not an exception. Some policies are on paper
schools, there are neither established counselling units nor only and never practiced or given the necessary follow-up if
counsellors at this level of education. Where else shall a good properly implemented. This sometimes poses a number of
and enduring foundation be laid if not in the primary schools? problems for the counsellor and the school guidance
In the secondary schools, even though the government is programme.
paying lip service to the existence of guidance and counselling
services, they are non-functional. The major challenges in the
implementation of guidance and counselling programmes

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VI. LOCATION OF COUNSELLING OFFICES such information secret, the relationship between him and
other members of staff is further strained.
In places where the authority manage to give
accommodation, the location of the room or counseling office VIII. PROBLEM INHERENT IN COUNSELING
are too open and this affects the attitude students have towards PERSONNEL
it. counsellor was given a room directly opposite to staff-
Counsellors themselves have sometimes constituted
room and students who were seen going in were later
great problems for themselves. Some of them are not fully
questioned by other members of staff who want to know what
committed to the profession (Makinde in Omoniyi, (2016)).
their problems were. Many schools do not provide an
Some counselors do not give enough time for the counselling
adequately prepared room for the guidance services. Some use
interaction. Also with regards to the counsellor, some have
rooms in the administrative block while others are left to look
created problems concerning his age. Some people have come
for shades, neither of which are acceptable. Records in the
to conclusion that older counsellors are better than young ones
guidance services are very important especially for reference
because of the experience they have passed through. This
purposes; however, because of inadequate arrangement of
attitude on the part of some principals and teachers is passed
rooms, the necessary clerical staff and even successful
on to the parents who would rather seek older counsellors.
keeping of records had been a problem in schools where
That notwithstanding, the present counsellors in the school
guidance and counseling services are offered. It is very
systems must pull their weight to negate the ill-feeling and
tedious for the guidance counsellor to combine counselling
suspicion on them by the school authority. It should be
services with the clerical duties of record keeping.
disheartening to hear that the guidance counsellors are the
VII. SHORTAGE OF COUNSELLING PERSONNEL architect of their own problems in the school system. If the
school personnel view them as having nothing special to offer
Professionally trained counsellors are in short supply in
to the school system and as such try to frustrate them, it is
our schools. Not all post primary institutions in Nigeria can
then up to an individual counsellor to work harder to negate
boast of having full-time counsellor to cope with the large
such feelings and attitudes. But rather than doing this, most
number of youths who require help in the various areas of
guidance counsellors after a few trials fail to struggle to win
their development. Many Universities do not train counselors
the race hereby giving the school authorities the chance to
with specialized training; hence most schools make use of
confirm their earlier hypothesis about them. This is why Kolo
teachers as counsellors and career masters who do not have
(1985) observed that one of the major problem in the practice
deep knowledge of counselling programme.
of guidance in Nigeria is that which is inherent in the
Lack of Recognition counsellors themselves.
Guidance and counselling programme in Nigeria as at Insufficient Psychological Testing
today is not being giving its due recognition to have the
Appropriate psychological tests are rather few in Nigeria
necessary impact. The Luke-warm attitude of parents,
schools. In more advanced countries, such tests take care of
government officials, school authorities, class teachers
educational, vocational and personal interests and other
constitute serious problems to the effective discharge of
problems of the youths in relation to subject and career
guidance and counseling services in our schools as many
choice. The use of imported psychological batteries which are
people still fail to recognize the guidance and services as
found in our schools may cause more harm than good because
being necessary in schools.
their relatively difficult vocabulary and cultural differences.
Confidentiality
Lack of Fund
In the African culture, there is the tendency for
In considering how the guidance and counselling service
individuals to keep their needs, worries and problems secrets
will be offered, issue such as finance cannot be overlooked.
until, in many cases they get out of hands. These hinder
Funds for the innovative efforts of counsellor have not usually
counselling activities and the smooth discharge of the work of
been forth coming since the school heads find it difficult to
the counsellor. Many of the clients may refuse to discharge
give out of the already scarce funs to counsellor. This may not
their minds in the presence of others for fear of being found
exactly be their faults as provision may not have been made
by others. Some who are interested in discussing in the
for this from the governmental level. Any successful service
presence of others are often shy, not wanting others to know
requires money. Funds are needed for the purchase of tests,
that they have problems. There is also the interference and
collection and storing of information. The school is expected
conflict of cultural belief and professional ethics. Students
to have an annual allocation of funds sufficient to install and
need the assurance that their secrets will be kept in
maintain necessary equipment, literature and teaching aids for
confidence. However, some principals and teachers expect
the counselling services. Money is needed for transport fares,
counsellors to divulge this information when they require it.
and career excursion, cumulative record folders, allowance
This is against the ethics of the profession and the counsellor
and hospitality for guest speakers at careers day or career
finds himself between two opinions. If he insists on keeping
conventions.

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Lack of Occupation Information programmes are also meant to enhance the members
of staff in the School in discharge their duties.
Most counsellors in Nigeria schools face serious problem
 Presentation of guidance and counselling
of obtaining information which is very vital to counselling.
programmes in such a way as to evoke favourable
Most establishments, industries and other employment
attitudes from the members of staff is also very
agencies usually deny or refuse to make available to
important. This will enable the counsellor as well as
counsellors necessary information relating to job distributions,
the entire school system enjoy and benefit maximally
vacancies and other conditions service in their establishment
from the counseling programmes.
for fear of divulging how their establishment is being
managed. Societal attitudes towards the counselling  Liaising with the Community on behalf of the school
programme: While some significant others seek for on guidance counselling programmes is also
information to be divulged others see the counselling recommended. The counsellors through this create
relationship as an invasion of the privacy of the individual. community awareness of guidance and counselling
Some parents who are in support of this view attempt to programmes as well as the impact of the programmes
frustrate rather than support the guidance programme on the Community. Liaising with students’ Parents
(Makinde 1981). They sometimes accuse counsellors of both individually and through the Parent-Teachers
instigating their children against them and intruding into their Association is highly important. This would ensure
family life. These negative attitudes lead to an unsuccessful that parents’ actions at home complement the
implementation of the counselling activities since these counsellor’s efforts at School.
attitudes are sometimes passed on to the students. The REFERENCES
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