Assessment of the Impact of Guidance and Counselling on Academic Performance and Discipline among Junior Secondary School Students (A Study of Federal Capital Territory in Abuja)

Abstract

This study utilised a quantitative research design that included experimental and control groups to investigate the impact of guidance and counselling on students’ discipline and academic performance. The researcher employed stratified random sampling to select 200 students and 50 teachers from diverse backgrounds for the study. Data was collected using a four-point Likert scale questionnaire, which demonstrated a high level of consistency (with a Cronbach alpha score of 0.87). The sample was split into 100 in the control groups and 100 in the experimental group. Over an academic year, only the experimental group participated in counselling sessions. Information on behavior changes was obtained through observation, while academic performance data was collected using the General Subject Performance Test (GSPT). Data from the survey was analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer research questions. An analysis using a t-test was carried out to determine the impact of guidance and counselling services on students' academic performance using the General Subject Performance Test (GSPT). A linear regression test was analysed to compare the behavior ratings before and after the intervention to identify any potential relationship between the two variables and the result showed a statistically significant difference among the experimental group, this indicates that guidance and counselling services have a positive impact on students' academic performance and discipline. According to the findings, it was suggested that counselors should receive continuous training, ensure access to counselling services for all students based on their unique backgrounds and needs, and foster strong collaboration among counselors, teachers, administrators, and parents.