Guidance and counseling programmes: An imperative for adolescent learners in Malamulele Circuit in Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

South African education has undergone major restructuring since 1994 with the aim of improving lives of learners, their parents and educators. Restructuring and re-orientation has fortuitously caused casualties along the way. One such casualty was the redeployment of guidance counsellors and consequent marginalization of school guidance and counselling programmes. In the light of the above, the main aim of this study was to investigate learner’s and educator’s/counsellors’ experiences of guidance and counselling programmes in selected ten (10) secondary schools of Malamulele Circuit and implications thereof. It also made inferences on the state of guidance and counselling programmes in schools. The final outcome of the study was to identify challenges and formulate a framework or strategy to address implementation of guidance and counselling programmes in secondary school. The study employed a quantitative method to generate data. Data was collected through questions directed to forty (40) learners and ten (10) educators/counsellors of secondary schools. Ten secondary schools were randomly selected from fourteen secondary schools in Malamulele circuit. The study revealed a dire need for guidance and counselling (including one-on-one counselling), personal guidance, career guidance and career counselling. All these were meant to empower youth to address issues and challenges affecting them and their future prospects. Life Orientation, which is a relatively new addition to the school curricula, is the available form of guidance and counselling since it is a learning area prescribed by the Department of Basic Education. The introduction of Life Orientation as a school subject was meant as a substitute for school guidance and counselling. However, services meant to promote holistic development of youth by focusing on and enhancing their social, intellectual, academic and affective aspects were inadequate, especially because as revealed by preliminary findings of the study, learners’ emotional problems were better addressed in a one-on-one relationship and not in a directive teachinglearning process. Affecting the delivery of School Guidance and Counselling programmes was the scarcity of personnel resources as there were no school counsellors to provide for emotional needs of the learners. Life Orientation teachers were not adequately trained to counsel learners and design intervention strategies; as the services they provide are limited to their job roles. The introduction of Life Orientation, though noble, was not enough to assist young people to face all their challenges. Although Life Orientation contributes to the support of learners, including those with problems, need for the revival of Guidance and Counselling Programmes, within the ambit of Psychological, Guidance and Special Education Services and Inclusive Education was highly recommended, with the provision of individual counselling services as its main priority.

Key Concepts: School educator psychologist; school counsellor; principal; educator; learner; adolescent; psychosocial support services; mental health