It is very important that all educational institutions must have Guidance and Counselling programmes. These programmes have the following functions:
(a) Assisting the student in self-understanding;
(b) Assisting him in making intelligent choices;
(c) Teaching the art of making adjustments in life.
Present status of School Guidance & Counselling:
Presently the guidance and counselling programmes are generally available to those students who have some problem and approach the counsellor directly or indirectly, or are sent to such counselor by the class teacher or the principal. The beneficiaries are mostly students of secondary or senior secondary classes. There are hardly any comprehensive guidance programmes available to all the students in general.
Development of School Guidance & Counselling:
There is a need to develop guidance and counselling programmes in India keeping in view the specific requirements of students at different stages in their school life as each stage has different focus and objectives.
Guidance at Different stages of Education:
There are three stages so far as guidance at school is concerned:
(a) Elementary and Middle Stage: The focus is on developmental and preventive guidance with the objective of creating self awareness as well as career-awareness amongst the students. Expected Outcomes are skills, attitude and value development.
(b) Secondary Stage: Guidance at this stage is preventive in nature and aims at self and career understanding. The outcome expected is identification of personal and career goals.
(c) Senior Secondary Stage: The focus is on remedial guidance with the objective of achieving self as well as career identity. The expected outcome is capability to take self and career-related decisions.
The broader objective of guidance at school is to develop and improve competencies, skills and attitudes.
Components of Guidance & Counselling at School
The essential components of guidance and counselling programme at school are as under:
(1) Individual Planning: The purpose of this component is to assist the students to plan, monitor and manage their own personal development. Self- appraisal and planning for the career is one of the goal of such planning.
(2) School guidance and counselling Curriculum: The curriculum aims at providing knowledge and life skills to the students. It emphasizes on decision-making, self-knowledge, career exploration and its development. The areas mainly included in the Curriculum are:
(i) Learning to Live: It refers to understanding and appreciating about a person himself, his home and family, developing a sense of community and capability to set goals and make decisions.
(ii) Learning to Learn: This area refers to developing a spirit of enquiry, to explore and experiment, and also innovate through learning, knowledge and experience.
(iii) Learning to Work: This factor refers to exploring one's own aptitudes towards a career, learning relationship become education and work, and knowing how we can together as a team and as a community. The basic purpose is to equip a person to get gainful vocation.
Curriculum is delivered through (i) Classroom activities, (ii) Group activities. and (iii) Parent education.
(3) Responsive Services: Responsive services are an important component of guidance and counselling programmes, and facilitate personal, social, educational and career growth of the school students. Responsive services include preventive, developmental and remedial counselling apart from consultation and referral services. While counselling is either individual or in groups, consultation is with teachers, parents and other experts. Referral is made to other professional or programmes.
(4) Counselling Services: Personal development and decision-making abilities are positively impacted by counselling services. Self-understanding, self-knowledge and knowledge of environment are important components of counselling services. This service primarily offers the clients a chance to make decisions and solve problems. Counselling service recognizes the uniqueness of the individual. Classroom teaching alone does not satisfy the developmental needs of a student or equip him to deal with the problems and complexities of life.
(5) Referral Services: Sometimes a student is in such a problem that a well-trained skilled professional is required to deal with his/her problem, and for such cases there is a need for a network of referral services which may include psychiatrists, psychologists and social work organizations etc.
(6) Consultation Services: The counselors or teachers must enter into mutual consultation with parents, subject teachers and hostel staff etc. to know if there has been any change in student's behaviour so that timely action may be taken to remedy the situation.
(7) Appraisal: The purpose of this service is to gather personal information about a student, and assist him/her to understand himself/herself better. It also provides essential information about the student to his counselor or teacher to enable them to take appropriate steps to help the student as may be needed.
(8) Placement and follow up: All students need guidance to achieve their career goals, particularly in the matter of selection of subjects to study, and advice which will enable them to continue their studies after school for adopting a particular career. The interest, aptitude and career motivations of the student need to be thoroughly examined to give him guidance in this regard.
(9) Systems Support Programmes: Like any other programme, a comprehensive guidance and counselling programme also needs support systems such as resources and facilities, finance and policy support. Such a support system should be kept in mind while designing any guidance and counselling programme.
(10) Research and Effectiveness Assessment: Research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of any guidance and counselling system. Teachers and counselors can update their skills on the basis of a system of assessment and evaluation so that such a porgramme runs efficiently and effectively.
