Role of School Based Guidance and Counselling in Students’ Self-Assertive Goal Achievement in Kinondoni Public Secondary Schools, Tanzania

Abstract

This study investigated the role of school-based guidance and counselling programme in enhancing students’ self-assertive goal achievement in five selected public secondary schools (Schools A–E). It was guided by three objectives: to evaluate the availability of guidance and counselling programme and their influence on students’ self-assertiveness, to examine the effectiveness of programme implementation mechanisms in supporting students’ personal goals, and to investigate the role of career guidance activities on student’s self assertive goal achievement . Person-Centred Theory by Carl Rogers guided this study and employed a mixed-methods approach using a convergent parallel research design. It involved 60 participants including, 50 student 5 head of schools and 5 Guidance and Counselling teachers, were selected through simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews and analyzed using descriptive statistics, inferential statistics and thematic analysis. The findings revealed that guidance and counselling programme were available in all selected schools and positively influenced students’ confidence, decision-making, self-assertiveness, and goal-setting behaviour. It was also found that career guidance activities helped students identify their abilities, understand career opportunities, and establish realistic academic and career goals. However, the study disclosed that the effectiveness of these programme was constrained by shortages of trained personnel, inadequate facilities and counselling materials, limited time allocation, and weak monitoring and evaluation systems. Despite these challenges, the programme contributed significantly to students’ academic motivation, personal development, and future career planning.