THE ROLE OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING SERVICES ON THE MORAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF OLABISI ONABANJO UNIVERSITY (EDUCATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Counselling is a professional field which has a broad range of activities and services aimed at assisting individuals to understand themselves, others, school environment and attain abilities to adjust accordingly.The need for guidance and counselling services in all stages of schools cannot be overstated due to increasingly complexities of modern life that have placed heavy demands and responsibilities on students.These students are faced with numerous personal, academic, social and emotional needs and problems in which if unattended could lead to host patterns of undesirable behaviours (Weiten, 2007). Virtually, all countries have established channels to intensify and improve counselling services in their respective learning institutions in attempt to address tenets of students’ behaviours.
The history of guidance and counselling around the world varies greatly based on how different countries and local communities have chosen to provide personal,academic, and social competencies among the post primary students. In Africa, guidance and counselling is an initiative that is aimed at providing information and skills to impart self- awareness and optimal use of students’ potential for holistic growth and development (Muriithi, 2007). Dondo (2004) holds the view that school counselling employs ‘whole person approach’ in addressing the increasingly and complex needs of the students which include social and emotional challenges.
Development refers to a process in which an individual find and adopt modes of behaviour suitable to or the changes in the environment. Hence, devlopment involves an individuals’ general adaptation to own environment and the demands of life such as the way one relates to other people, that is interpersonal behaviour, handles responsibilities, deals with stress and meets own needs and life satisfaction. Students’ adjustment to the school social environment is also important.
