Education specialists have called for schools to ensure fully functional guidance and counselling services, highlighting the critical role counsellors play in helping students manage academic, emotional, and career challenges.

Speaking at a recent seminar on student welfare, experts noted that many schools either lack trained counsellors or fail to use them effectively due to administrative workloads and limited resources. They emphasized that guidance counsellors are essential for helping students make informed academic decisions, cope with stress, and prepare for life after school.

Importance of Guidance Counsellors

Counsellors support students by:

• Providing career and educational guidance
• Addressing emotional and psychological issues
• Mediating conflicts and fostering a healthy school environment
• Teaching life skills and building resilience

Experts argue that well-structured counselling programs can boost student well-being, improve academic performance, and reduce school dropouts.

Barriers to Effective Counselling

Schools often face challenges in offering robust counselling services, including:

• Shortage of qualified counsellors
• Lack of clear policies and guidelines
• Insufficient funding and infrastructure
• High student-to-teacher ratios

Recommendations

Educationists urge governments, school administrators, and private stakeholders to prioritize the hiring and training of counsellors. They also recommend making counselling an integral part of school operations rather than an optional service.

Conclusion

Experts agree that effective guidance counselling is vital for student development, helping learners succeed academically, emotionally, and socially while preparing them for higher education and the workforce.