ABSTRACT

The research examines the role of school-based counsellors in career choice of secondary school students as perceived by secondary school students in Nigeria. The study explored various roles the counsellor plays in secondary schools. The survey research design was adopted for the study because it collected information from respondents. All the students in University of Benin Demonstration Secondary School formed the population. The sample was drawn using the using the Simple Random Sampling Technique. Four classes spanning from one junior secondary school class [JSS 3] and three senior secondary school classes [SS 1, SS 2 and SS 3], were selected for the research. The research instrument was designed to elicit information on the role of a school-based counsellor as perceived by secondary school students in the University of Benin Demonstration Secondary School. They were 11 questions in the questionnaire, and it contained section A, which looked at the independent variables [sex, age and class], section B, the factors. The instrument was validated by the project supervisor and two other experts in the field of Guidance and Counselling. It was also found to have high reliability, with a coefficient of 0.62. Based on the various findings that emerged from the study, the result shows that school-based counsellors play a major role in guiding the students in their career choice and vocation, as well as helping them find solution to the problems relating to their academics and overall wellbeing.