LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY, OJO

FACULTY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS & COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGY
FIRST SEMESTER 2023/2024 SESSION

COURSE TITLE: GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

COURSE CODE: EPE 311
COURSE STATUS: 2 C
LECTURER: MR. GANDONU, M. B. (08035038144)
COURSE OUTLINE
1. Basic Concepts in Guidance and Counselling
2. Nature of Guidance and Counselling in Primary Schools
3. Types of Guidance and Counselling Services in Primary School
4. Objectives of Guidance and Counselling in Primary Schools
5. Theories of Guidance and Counselling
6. Needs and Problems of Primary School Pupils
7. Guidance and Counselling Services in Primary Schools
8. Importance of Guidance and Counselling in the Educational System

LECTURE NOTE
Introduction
In the Nigerian education system, primary education is the education provided for children in school
from the age of six to eleven or more years and it lasts for six years. The new system of education in
Nigeria which is referred to now as basic education, lasts for nine years as the starting point. This
level lays the basic foundation upon which all other levels of education are built. This also means that
basic education holds the key to the success or failure of the whole education: system of any country

Basic Concepts 'Guidance' and 'Counselling'

Guidance is a process whereby an individual is helped to understand himself in all ramifications so
that he can effectively utilize his potentialities or talents.
Counselling is a process through which an individual who needs help is assisted by a professionally
prepared individual so that he can be helped to make the necessary adjustments to life, and to his
environment. It is a process whereby an individual is helped through a relationship with a
professionally prepared person to voluntarily change his behaviour, and clarify his attitudes and
goals so that his problems can be solved.
Counselling is done in two ways; individual counselling and group counselling. In individual
counselling, there is a one-to-one relationship between the client and the counsellee. In group
counselling, the counsellor is involved with a group of counsellee. The Guidance Counsellor
believes in the individuality of people. To him/her, every individual is a unique special person, who
is capable of developing his potential and capabilities to the fullest if properly guided.

Nature of Guidance and Counselling in Primary Schools

1. Guidance and Counselling is education itself. Guidance and Counselling aim at educating the
individual to understand himself, unfolding his potentialities to their maximum so that he may
eventually prove himself to be an adjusted and pragmatic member of the community. Guidance
therefore is a significant education procedure. It is in short education itself.
2. Guidance and Counselling is a process. Guidance and Counselling is a process that enables an
individual to discover himself most satisfyingly and positively. It provides direction to enable an
individual to harness his potentialities, abilities, interests, and aptitudes.
3. Guidance and Counselling is a continuous process. Guidance and Counselling is a dynamic and
non-stop process. In this process, an individual understands himself and learns to use his capacities,
interests, and other abilities. He continues his struggle for adjustment in different situations. He
develops his capacity for decision-making.
4. Guidance and Counselling is related to life. The process of guidance is related to life, its
problems and challenges, and how to face them. Problems and challenges are the building blocks of
our personality. Guidance and Counselling help people to live a balanced and tension-free life with
satisfaction under the circumstances.
5. Guidance and Counselling is self-direction. The nature of Guidance and Counselling is not to
thrust itself on an individual. It does not make choices for him. The ultimate purpose of the guidance
is to guide the individual to direct himself in the right direction, to make his own choices, to fix his
life goals, and to carry his burden.
6. Guidance and Counselling is individual-centred. Whether given on an individual or group basis,
the focus of all guidance programmes is the individual who needs to manage himself for a joyous
today and a happy tomorrow by a healthy alignment of individual desires and aspirations with
socially desirable good.
7. Guidance and Counselling is a qualified, complex, and organised service. Guidance and
Counselling are given by qualified and trained personnel. Hence guidance is a skill-involved process.
The varied and complex nature of human life leaves its imprint on the guidance programmes which
are a totality of experiences. Guidance and Counselling depend on prior study of the individual, his
assessment, initial counselling, interview, case study, and a host of other subsidiary activities that
qualifies Guidance as a complex process.
8. Guidance and Counselling is based on individual differences. Individual differences or, the fact
that individuals differ significantly, form the basis of Guidance. If all the individuals had been alike,
there was no scope for guidance. Individuals differ not only in their appearances but in their mental
and intellectual endowments, desires, aspirations, and aptitudes.
9. Universality of Guidance and Counselling. Guidance and Counselling is for all.
Every person needs guidance at all the stages of life situations from childhood to old age. He needs
guidance for solving problems to adjust in the family as well as in the society.
10. Guidance and Counselling is making potential actual. Studies indicate that each person is born
with more potential than he uses. Guidance and Counselling programme aid the
individual in the discovery of a hidden potential individual for his own benefit that that of the
community. Thus, guidance programme is used as an aid to discover the talent and use it for the
progress of the country.
11. Preparation for future. The process of guidance is helpful in preparing a person for his future.
Guidance helps in the choice of one’s career, one’s partner in life etc. Guidance and
Counselling helps the individual to march towards the future with confidence.
12. Modification of Behaviour. Guidance and Counselling help the person in his
adjustment to different situations and modify one’s behaviour. Negative personality traits have been
modified through skillful guidance and counselling. According to Carter V. Good, “Guidance is a
process of dynamic interpersonal relationship designed to influence the attitudes and subsequent
behaviour of a person.”
Thus, Ipaye (1992) describes guidance and counselling as being:
1. Developmental – assisting learners in developing, an understanding of processes of achieving
one’s life goals.
2. Preventive- enabling children to identify areas of weakness and negative aspects of self and
possibly steering around same to positive build-up.
3. Curative – assisting people with problems to possibly resolve them and
4. Therapeutic – reorganizing priorities and effecting behavioural modifications to the advantage of
the clients.

Types of Guidance and Counselling Services in Primary School

Counselling can be classified according to different spheres of life in which human beings could
encounter problems. These are:
(a) Educational Counselling: problems that could be of learning, teaching, and education generally
are handled here.
(b) Vocational Counselling: problems from work and training, career choice making and adjustment
are handled here
(c) Personal-Social Counselling: problems including personality and life in general are taken care of
here.

Objectives of Guidance and Counselling in Primary Schools

The scientific and technological developments have changed the structure of the society, which
includes the careers primarily, therefore, we need to plan the careers of our children as per abilities
and capabilities from the very early stages of education, and hence we must understand the objectives
of guidance and counselling programme in primary schools. The following are the Objectives of
Guidance and Counselling in Primary schools.
1. To help in the total development of the pupils:
The emphasis on intellectual development through the teaching of subjects alone cannot help in the
total development of the pupils. We have to evolve some method of helping pupils understand
themselves and helping teachers understand the pupils. There has to be a basic and fundamental
change in our entire system of education, change which recognises that no matter how well a human
being is educated in chemistry, physics, economics, history or literature, he remains a barbarian
unless he knows something about himself. Self-knowledge in depth which has been the forgotten
factor in our educational system must become its primary focus—and this is what can be done
through a programme of guidance and counselling. Total development of the pupils necessitates that
individual differences among pupils are expected, accepted, understood and planned for and all types
of experiences in an institution are so organised as to contribute to the total development of the
student. All that a student needs in an educational institution is good teaching, is an exploded myth.
Something much more and beyond this is needed to produce competent, mature and well-rounded
citizens

2. To help in the proper choice of courses:

Everyone knows that so far, our educational system has grown up in a higgledy-piggledy fashion. The
subjects which are the least wanted—humanities and the liberal arts—have been those most
frequently offered and taken, both in the colleges and the universities because they were the oldest
and relatively inexpensive areas of knowledge, taken because they require no specified intellectual
equipment. The problem is grave in another way also. In an article on ‘Unrest on Campus’, Piloo
Modi, M.P. wrote, “Our student population reaches the university level, having made up their mind
broadly about the courses that they may have a decision, which in almost all cases, is taken by
unthinking and unsympathetic parents and relatives with an eye on a more lucrative profession. It is a
great tragedy when a potential poet becomes a chemical engineer… Many a mute inglorious Milton is
languishing in the dark engineering world”. This entire process of herding our youths into educational
disciplines unconnected with their aptitudes needs to be checked through a scientific process of
guidance and counselling for the best development of individuals and growth of society.
3. To help in the proper choice of careers:
We are living in a highly complex and rapidly changing world of work. There are changing
requirements in industrial jobs, altered market conditions for professional manpower, the
development of para-professional occupations and many other labour market trends which make
occupational selection more difficult than ever. The young pupils in primary schools need to be
informed about various jobs and openings available to them and the requirements, responsibilities,
and nature of work involved in them so that they can measure themselves up to them and develop and
crystallise their occupational goals. They need to be helped in making meaningful occupational
selections and preparation for entry into them to have a fulfilling and rewarding career. The need for
helping the pupils in the choice of a proper career is further enhanced because the majority of our
pupils in schools are first-generation learners. In their family, they have no one with an experience of
college or university education background to guide them in the choice of a career. With a right to the
best education available, and a wide range of jobs open to them, these pupils need mature help in
making a judicious occupational choice. Hence the need for adequate guidance and counselling
arrangements in our primary schools.
4. To help the pupils in vocational development:
The process of vocational development covers almost the entire span of life of an individual. It begins
quite early in one’s life and continues till sometime after retirement. In this process, the individual
passes through various stages: growth, exploration, maintenance, and decline. Guidance services need
to be provided to the primary schools to help the pupils in the process of vocational development,
particularly the stages of growth and exploration, by making it possible for them to gain knowledge
about themselves, their abilities, interests, and needs, the one hand and knowledge about the world of
work on the other. By providing them opportunities for self-exploration as well as exploration of the
world of work while they are still in an educational institution, their transition from education to work
can be facilitated.
5. To motivate the pupil for self-employment:
Considering the magnitude of educated job-seekers flowing into the job market in India every year, a
sizable fraction of enterprising youth must be initiated into careers of self-employment. This is
achievable when the counsellor introduces theirs from scratch of their growth. That is, at the primary
school level. Some arrangement needs to be instituted at the primary level, before proceeding to
colleges and universities to identify the deserving cases fit to take up self-employment, educate them
on how to proceed about the job of setting up a venture, help them through the cooperation of the
concerned agencies in this sphere to prepare technically sound and economically viable projects;
sponsor their cases to the banks for loan assistance and guide them to overcome the teething troubles
through effective follow-up after the commencement of the venture. T the primary level, there are
many ways the pupils can be trained to be self-employed. Therefore, as a counsellor, there is a need
to devise a way to help them realise themselves and how they can be self-employed.
6. To identify and motivate the pupils from weaker sections of society:
Pupils from weaker sections have their problems and needs. They experience difficulty in adjusting to
their peers, teachers, and the environment. To communicate, make friends, utilise the time profitably,
make the best use of lectures; make effective use of the library and other facilities available—all pose
problems for them. Guidance facilities are urgently needed for such types of pupils to enable them to
adjust and utilise the available facilities properly.
7. To identify and help pupils in need of special help:
There are such pupils as the gifted, the backward, and the handicapped who need special
opportunities. Some arrangement needs to be made in our primary schools to identify them and help
them according to their requirements.
8. To ensure the proper utilisation of time spent outside the classrooms:
It is common knowledge that pupils in schools spend two to three times as many hours outside
classrooms as in them. How pupils spend their non-class hours affects their success in achieving both
academic competence and personal development of all types. It is, therefore, essential that schools of
learning provide positive direction to pupils by influencing how they can use those non-class hours.
The programme of guidance and counselling can meet this need.
9. To minimise the incidence of indiscipline:
The majority of our pupils lack a sense of direction, a sense of purpose, and a sense of fulfillment.
They indulge in destructive activities which lead to social damage and loss. Adequate guidance and
counselling facilities are the only answer, to help and guide them to worthwhile channels and help
them realise the goal of optimum academic, personal, and social development.

General Objectives of Primary Education

Going by the history of Nigerian education, evidence abounds that the National Seminar on
Educational Policy held in 1973, gave rise to the evolution of the National Policy on Education in
1977. There was also a national workshop for the implementation committee which was revised in
1981. The main point of this policy was the considerable involvement of the Federal Government in
education as an instrument of national development and unity. The Federal Government of Nigeria
has adopted education as an instrument per excellent for effecting national development.

Despite these interesting and impressive statements, the primary sector remains relatively
unimpressive. The National Policy on Education (2004), states the general objectives of primary
education as follows:
i. The inculcation of permanent literacy and innumeracy and the ability to communicate effectively;
ii. The laying of a sound basis for scientific and reflective thinking;
Citizenship education as a basis for effective participation in and
iii.
contribution to the life of the society;
iv. Character and moral training and the development of sound attitudes;
v. Developing in the child the ability to adapt to his changing environment;
vi. Giving the child opportunities for developing manipulative skills that will enable him to function
effectively in society within the limit of his capacity; and.
vii. Providing basic tools for further education advancement including preparation for trades and
crafts of the locality
These objectives can be said to form the basis for the provision of primary education in Nigeria. If
one looks at these objectives, they are aimed at the complete development of the Nigerian child
through basic education, which is necessary for national advancement.

Theories of Guidance and Counselling

Psychoanalysis/Psychodynamic Theory
Psychoanalysis theory, also known as the “historical perspective,” has its roots with Sigmund Freud,
who believed there were unconscious forces that drive behavior. The techniques he developed, such
as free association (freely talking to the therapist about whatever comes up without censoring), dream
analysis (examining dreams for important information about the unconscious), and transference
(redirecting feelings about certain people in one’s life onto the therapist) are still used by
psychoanalysts today.
Behavioural Theory
Behavioral theory is based on the belief that behavior is learned. Classic conditioning is one type of
behavioral therapy that stems from early theorist Ivan Pavlov’s research. Pavlov executed a famous
study using dogs, which focused on the effects of a learned response (e.g., a dog salivating when
hearing a bell) through a stimulus (e.g., pairing the sound of a bell with food).
B. F. Skinner developed another behavioral therapy approach, called operant conditioning. He
believed in the power of rewards to increase the likelihood of a behavior and punishments to decrease
the occurrence of a behavior. Behavioral therapists work on changing unwanted and destructive
behaviors through behavior modification techniques such as positive or negative reinforcement.

Cognitive Theory
In the 1960s, psychotherapist Aaron Beck developed cognitive theory. This counseling theory focuses
on how people’s thinking can change feelings and behaviors. Unlike psychodynamic theory, therapy
based on cognitive theory is brief and oriented toward problem-solving. Cognitive therapists focus
more on their client’s present situation and distorted thinking than on their past. Cognitive and
behavioral therapy are often combined as one form of theory practiced by counselors and therapists.
Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, has been found in research to help with several mental
illnesses including anxiety, personality, eating, and substance abuse disorders.

Humanistic Approach
Humanistic therapists care most about the present and helping their clients achieve their highest
potential. Instead of energy spent on the past or on negative behaviors, humanists believe in the
goodness of all people and emphasize a person’s self-growth and self-actualization.
Humanistic theories include client-centered, gestalt, and existential therapies. Carl Rogers developed
client-centered therapy, which focuses on the belief that clients control their destinies. He believed
that all therapists need to do is show their genuine care and interest. Gestalt therapists’ work focuses
more on what’s going on in the moment versus what is being said in therapy. Existential therapists
help clients find meaning in their lives by focusing on free will, self-determination, and
responsibility.

Problem of Pupils in Primary School

• New-Admits or Transferred Students think about how they will handle the school environment with
other students and teachers. They are more concerned with such issues instead of studying which
hampers their performance.
• Today's students are burdened with loads to study. Study curriculum has become more extensive and
complex than ever before. They not only carry ever-increasing the weight of study material on their
shoulders but they also carry the burden of intensive study even after they have left the classroom.
• Some students come from weaker sections of society and the financial situation in their house is not
good enough. If a student is not financially equipped, it may obstruct his/her study especially if
hunger is craving their stomach.
• Perhaps one of the hardest things in life is coping with illness and pain. In some ways, it can be
even harder when a student has to look after a loved one who is ill, than with our illness.
• Another major problem is Competition. Students are afraid of failing. They are afraid of letting their
parents and family down. Those who are studying at school know very well that the time of exams
is very stressful and difficult. Some people find exam time so bad that they become ill, both
mentally and/or physically.
• Sex is powerful and it can be dangerous, if it does not run in the correct channels, and if safety
procedures are not used. Many of the problems about sex come because of ignorance. Students do
not understand the purpose of sex, and how it should be used. The effects of internet pornography,
magazines, films, TV, books, and advertisements have created a wrong picture of sex. Young people
are under great pressure to have sex experience before they are ready for it.
• Another major problem faced by many students is Bullying. Seniors and other students often have
the habit of dominating a newcomer or someone they don't like. Such behaviour leaves strong
mental scars on the minds of the students.
• Some students develop an addiction to Drugs, drinks, and smoke. They want to experience and
experiment with such activities but they don't realise the harmful effects are often irreversible.
• Rape is another malice. Though not common it is nonetheless a serious issue, especially for the
affected ones'
• Weakness in certain disciplines is a common problem faced by the majority. Genuine hatred for
certain subjects like Maths and Ineffective teaching methods of certain teachers are the leading
causes.
• Certain schools favour their particular community. An unfair advantage is given which also creates
 a negative mentality for the victim.

Need for Guidance and counselling in Primary School

1. Need to tap and harness the individual pupils’ ability, interests, personalities, talents and aptitude
starts at this level for their developmental growth.
2. Need to provide special help for numerous primary school children to avert possible crimes and
health hazards
3. Need to stem the tide of maladaptive behaviours in the school system and the general public
4. Need to identify and nurture the gifted and talented children
5. Need for behavioural changes as many homes now breed social problems
6. Need for outreach counselling especially as many homes are impoverished
[Link] to provide the child with a sound foundation for future,
academic, psychological, and personal growth

The need for counselling in the primary school system, according to Durojaiye in Egbo (2008)
emanates from the fact that the Nigerian family had experienced significant changes that had resulted
in the breakdown of family cohesiveness and an increased rate of divorce. This has significantly
increased the one-parent home trend and subsequent increment in deviant behaviours among children
because:
1. Divorce and its accompanying strains continue to increase
2. Children are being reared differently and more frequently by outsiders (maids or day caregivers)
3. Mothers are plagued by the guilt of leaving their children to go to work
4. Parents generally do not have time to monitor their primary school children.
Consequently, primary school teachers and counsellors need to understand the unique characteristics
and nature of each pupil as well as be able to make relative referrals at any point in time. Good
classroom and social and social climate should be created for inclusive development of the pupils for
maximum sustenance of solutions to academic, vocational, and personal social problems of the
Nigerian primary school pupil.

Guidance & Counselling Services in Primary Schools

According to Egbo (2008) the rationale for guidance and counselling in schools is based on the belief
that prevention is always better than cure in every aspect of life. She, therefore, noted that counselling
no doubt has the key to the prevention of almost all the problems associated with learning, therefore
the need to understand the services provided under the school guidance programme towards the
attainment of effective teaching and learning. These counselling services include:
1. Orientation service: This is designed to assist students adjust adaptively when found in a new
school environment for effective learning. The teachers should also be given orientation on how to
handle the learners from time to time.
2. Information service: This service is designed to provide students with data about educational,
social, and vocational opportunities. It involves the collection of data for students.
3. Appraisal service: Appraisal involves the collection, administration, interpretation, and clinical
usage of a variety of test devices to provide effective counselling services to students.
4. Placement service: The goal of this service is to ensure that students achieve placement whether on
a programme of study, a career, work-study, or even a medical treatment programme.
5. Follow-up, research, or evaluation service: The goal of this service is to provide feedback on the
effectiveness of school guidance through research into the concrete outcomes of the school guidance.
6. Referral service: This is sending a client to another person or agency for assistance where the
counsellor is unable to solve the problem. The counsellor does not claim to know everything so the
need for referral to other needs of the
7. Counselling service: Counselling service is the interaction between a client and counsellor that
aims at solving or understanding the client’s problems the more. He also stated that this interaction
enhances effective teaching and learning.
8. Teachers’ Forum: The Teachers Forum is meant to gather all the teachers in the school to discuss
teacher/students’ problems (Teaching and Learning). The counsellor uses this programme to
introduce himself to the teachers and what he stands to do in the school. The counsellor invites some
resource persons who will talk to teachers about some student's needs areas that affect teaching and
learning, like harmony in the place of work, cordial relationship between teachers and students,
handling students without stress, different methods of teaching, learner’s differences, and so on.
Guidance and counselling services when rendered as should be rendered in the schools bearing in
mind the national goals of education will no doubt go a long way in ensuring effective teaching and
learning in schools.

The Importance of Guidance and Counselling Education System

These are some of the reasons why primary school children need counselling.
1. An individual's ability, interest, and aptitude are better tapped at the initial stages of life. The
practice whereby counselling is not done at the very crucial stages of life is anathema to the
development of the child. It has to start at the primary school level.
2. There is a need to provide special help for numerous primary school children. It is worth
knowing that Nigerian Prisons and Mental Health hospitals are inhabited by individuals who
could have profited from guidance and help in early life. They lead unproductive and unhappy
lives because they were not properly guided from the beginning.
3. There is a need to stem the tide of maladaptive behaviours in the school system and In the
general public. Many vagabonds, drug abusers, drug peddlers, bullies, hooligans, and pimps
could have been helped to live better and more useful lives if they have been exposed to
counselling services in youth.
4. There is a need to hunt for gifted children in society to help them develop their talents fully.
This can only be done through counselling strategies.
5. The present pressure of society demands the help of counselling and counsellors. Many homes
are now breeding grounds for social problems. There is a need for a change for the better.
6. There is a need to provide the child with a sound foundation for future, academic,
psychological, and personal growth. The truth has to be recognised that life begins at birth and
not at adolescence, in the secondary schools.