TOWARDS ENHANCING THE EFFICACY OF PARA-COUNSELLING PRACTICES FOR PROFESSIONAL AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN GOMBE STATE, NIGERIA

Joel Dogo¹ and M. M. Baba²

Department of Education,

Gombe State University, Gombe, Gombe State, Nigeria.

Email: joeldogo70@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This paper examined the roles of teachers as para-counsellors and their enhancement for effective counselling, ethical and professional consideration. The paper discussed about a professional counsellor and qualities of a good counsellor. It also takes a look at professional ethics in counselling, the need for enhancing the efficacy of para-counsellors, i.e guidance and counselling masters in secondary schools for ethical and professional practices. The paper concluded that the need to enhance the efficacy of the para-counsellors or the school guidance and counselling masters becomes inevitable to meet up with the inadequate number of counsellors to help in curbing common social problems among the students. As a way forward, the paper suggested that because of inadequate trained counsellors, school management and administrators should not just place any teacher in the position of a guidance and counselling master, but where there is need to employ the services of an ordinary school teacher, experienced ones  should be considered.  In addition the paper suggested that teachers assigned as guidance and counselling masters be given capacity building training in guidance and counselling so as to give them basic knowledge, techniques and skills in the counselling task.