Guidance programs in public secondary schools in the three districts of northern Palawan: Their status, problems, and prospects

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the status, problems and prospects of the guidance program of nine public high school of the three districts of Northern Palawan. This study hypothesized that there is no significant difference in the status, problems and prospects in the guidance programs according school type, school location and size of enrolment. It used the descriptive survey method using a researcher made questionnaire which pre-test to a group of teachers and administrators not covered by this study. The subjects were the 95 guidance workers in which included six schools administrators, 10 guidance counselors and 79 classroom teachers. Data were collection using self-administered questionnaires. The data were treated using frequency distribution for the descriptive analysis and the chi-square test for the relational analysis. Most of the schools studied has been in existence for more than 10 years. Most were located in the barangays, had student population size of more than 250 and had only one guidance counselor working on part time basis. The majority of the guidance counselors were female, between 30-40 years old, married and had earned with MA units, 6 units of which were in guidance and counseling. Most of them also had experience in doing guidance work. As to the status of guidance workers, both the administrators and classroom teachers were qualified to do guidance work. Most of them had training in supervised counseling. As to facilities, most of the schools had no guidance office, and those who had, had adequate space. Most of them, however, had sufficient guidance materials. Guidance facilities were accessible in their schools. Only the library was found accessible. As to status of guidance services offered, in the schools were counseling, testing, information and inventory services. The Guidance Workers ratio is 150:1. The counselor and counselee had good working relationships, support was provided at one while the counselor played the role of “en loco parentis.” The needs of the students most commonly receive were those of spiritual-vocational needs. Most of the schools had no budget allotted for their guidance program. The supports extended by the administrators in the implementation of guidance services were participation in group conference, organization information in the improvement of the education program, help the counselors in assisting the graduates in obtaining employment and assist in carrying out the recommendation of counselors. Among the problems reported were: lack of psychological materials, services on placement, “en loco parentis”, social and personal needs, sees that ample time is allowed to the guidance counselors, and recognized the importance of guidance program. The prospects as to the type of schools are: administrators should see to it that their counselors are both educationally and personally inclined to help students. Schools should provide adequate space and facilities for their guidance office, counseling and testing services assign some staff members for guidance work, employ one full time guidance counselor and provide adequate funding to support the program. Administrator should support his/her personnel in doing guidance work, secure available materials for use of the students, provide computer machine to expose students to communication technology. Guidance should be made a part of student’s daily life and teachers should be clarified of their role in guidance and goals set should be considered in understanding desired activities. Furthermore, an item for full=-time guidance counselor should be provided, in hiring one, the administrator should consider the educational and personal background of the counselors and his/her competence in helping students and in securing available materials for the use of the students. The administrator should make the guidance office conducive place for all students and they should provided adequate funding to support the program. In terms of relationship between status and school type, the variables were found not significantly related to each other. The differences of means on the problems met according to type of school were found not significant at .05 level. Similarly the differences between means on the prospects were also found not significant at .05 level. As to relationships between school locations and status it was found that there is significantly greater number of schools in the poblacion than in the barangays with qualified personnel to do guidance work. Likewise, the availability and accessibility of counseling rooms and guidance office were significantly higher in the poblacion than in the barangays. The relationship between the variables are statistically significant at the .05 level relative to school location. The differences between means on the problems were also found to be significant. The differences of means on the prospects for the personnel, facilities and services offered were found be not significant. The relationship between status and size of enrolment were statistically significant at .05 level in terms of personnel and facilities. The differences between means on the problems met in personnel, facilities, services offered and administrative support by size of enrolment were also statistically significant at .05 level. Likewise, the differences between means on the prospects for personnel, facilities and administrative support by size of enrolment were also significant at .05 level. Conclusions In the light of the findings of this study, the following conclusions are arrived at: 1. Most of the guidance workers in the schools studied, through working on part time basis were qualified to do guidance work. 2. Among the guidance facilities, only the library was found accessible to the students, the rest were not. 3. Only the counseling, testing, information and inventory services were offered in the schools studied, however, spiritual and vocational guidance were received by the students. 4. Most of the schools had no budget allocation for their guidance program, this is why most of the schools cannot meet the needs of the students. However, most administrators were supportive of the program. 5. Among the serious problems reported were: lack of qualified guidance counselors, overloaded counselors in doing guidance work, lack of psychological materials, placement service, en loco parentis, social and personal needs of the students and recognizes the importance of guidance program. 6. The prospects of the guidance programs as to type of schools are having counselor who are both educationally and personally qualified. They should be inclined to help students, and provide counseling and testing services. There is a need for a full-time guidance aid, adequate support for the guidance program. The guidance program of the schools can be more effective if there is adequate support for personnel complement, facilities and materials with the present arrangement the guidance programs cannot effectively implemented. Recommendations After a careful review of the findings and analysis, the following are recommended: 1. School administrators should install one full time qualified guidance counselor to assist every individual needs in school. 2. Guidance workers should be required to take the course in Test and Measurement to acquire knowledge in analysis and interpretation of test results. 3. Guidance should have special training in Supervised Counseling to assist the individual develops as well rounded personality. 4. As much as possible, a guidance office should be provided in every school, with adequate space for guidance activities and appropriate facilities. 5. Placement service should be strengthened to help students' secure part-time job or vocational employment, especially those individuals with special needs. 6. The counselor student ratio should be improved to meet the requirements so that the counselors can develop close working relations with the counselees. 7. The vocational need of the student should be given priority attention by the guidance workers. 8. Since almost all the schools have no budget allocated for guidance program, the administrators should provide for an adequate funding to support the program. 9. Psychological test materials should be provided in every school to support comprehensive counseling in guidance program. 10. Finally, studies similar to this should be conducted to identify ways and means to improve performance of guidance worke