Guidance and Counseling Services in Secondary School as Coping Strategy for Improved Academic Performance of Students in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study focused on Guidance and Counselling services among secondary school adolescents as coping strategy for improved academic performance. The population comprised of all SS3 students in public secondary schools in Uyo municipality, Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. A sample size of 252 students responded to the instruments. Three null hypotheses were raised and tested for the study. Data were collected using researchers designed structured questionnaire tagged “Guidance and Counselling services and school academic performance questionnaire’ (GCSAPA), and using the respondents SS2 promotion result which was a standardized state wide examination, to get their academic performance. The data were analyzed at 0.05 alpha level using t-test. After computation, the result revealed that students who utilized the counselling services performed better than those who did not. It was recommended that all schools should be provided with professional counsellors to help the students.

Keywords: Guidance, Counselling, coping strategy, academic performance.