Perception of the Need and Utilisation of Guidance Services in Senior High Schools in Upper West Region, Ghana

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the perception of the need and utilisation of guidance service in senior high schools in Upper West Region, Ghana. The study employed the descriptive research design. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select six senior high schools, and 357 respondents for the study. The main data collection instrument was a questionnaire titled “Perception of Need and Utilisation of Guidance Services Questionnaire” (PNUGSQ) with Cronbach‟s alpha reliability coefficient of 0.74. The data collected were analysed using frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, and Pearson‟s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. SPSS software version 22 was used for data analysis. The findings showed that among the various types of guidance services, referral and appraisal services were the least accessed by the students. The large group approach was mostly used in providing guidance services to senior high school students. The study also indicated that students had a positive perception about the need for guidance services in their schools but seldom utilised these services. Lastly, the results of the study indicated a weak negative correlation between students‟ perception on the need of guidance services and their utilisation. It was recommended that the Ghana Education Service (GES) and heads of senior high schools should ensure that professional or trained guidance coordinators should use appraisal services more and also use one-on-one approach in providing guidance services to students in order to raise and sustain the interest of students in utilisation of guidance services provided to them.