State Assembly calls for return of counsellors in schools

The Oyo State House of Assembly on Tuesday called for the return of counsellors in schools in the state.

This followed a motion by Mr Olusegun Ajanaku (APC-Ibadan South-West II) entitled :   “The Need For Career Guidance Counsellors in Secondary Schools (Government and Private) in Oyo State.’’

Ajanaku said that  counselling would enhance the human capability to solve problems as well as make decisions.

“Counsellors play prominent roles in curbing prevalent educational social menace  such as examination malpractice, absenteeism and hooliganism.

“Educational guidance, counselling services and career development services are relevant, required and needed in all public and private junior and senior secondary schools in the state.

“It will help students fulfill  their aspirations and integrate better into the society,” he said.

Contributing, Mrs Bimbo Oladeji (LP-Ogbomosho North) said the return of counsellors  would help raise the falling standard  of education in the state.

Mr Joshua Oyebamiji (APC-Akinyele I) said  counselling was needed  to enhance  students’  performance and  boost the  school system.

He disclosed that there were over 700 counsellors in the  558 schools in the state.

While noting that the accepted counsellor-student ratio  stood  at 1:250, Oyebamiji called for a redistribution,  saying many  were not engaged in the primary duty of counselling.

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Ruling on the matter, the Speaker of the House, Mr Michael Adeyemo,  called on the Ministry of  Education to ensure that  counsellors were relieved of other duties so that they could concentrate on core counselling services to students.

The speaker also urged  the ministry  to ensure  effective monitoring of private schools to ensure they complied  with the directive.

He further called  for the training and re-training of professional counsellors in schools across the state.

More  professional counsellors, he added,  should be engaged in  schools while they should be restricted to professional counselling.