Dr Bala Albert Suleh & Dr Chigbu Eberechukwu Francisca
Abstract
The study adopted descriptive survey research design, to investigate the influence of guidance and counselling practices on career choice among secondary school students of Jalingo metropolis. The population of the study was 2,940 Senior secondary school II students. Simple random sampling technique was used to draw a sample size of 588 respondents. The instrument for the study was a structured questionnaire titled “Guidance and counselling practices and career choice questionnaire (GCPCCQ)” with a four point rating scale designed to elicit information from the respondents. The instrument was face validated by experts in the fields of Guidance and counselling and Educational Measurement and Evaluation, while a reliability coefficient value of 0.74 was obtained using the Pearson’s product moment correlation. Mean scores and Standard Deviation were used to answer the research questions. The study concluded that guidance and counselling practices such as educational, vocational and persona-social counselling programmes in schools will assist students to harmonize their abilities, interests and values thereby help them to develop to their full potential. The study recommended that schools should be supplied with sufficient manpower in terms of trained counsellors who will be able to guide, direct and assist the students towards achieving their ultimate goal in life.