Functioning of guidance and counselling centres in higher education: A survey of the public universities in Ghana

Education plays a vital role in fostering students' academic growth and personal development, providing them with opportunities to nurture their talents and abilities. However, students in educational institutions, particularly in Ghana, encounter numerous challenges that hinder their academic progress and overall personal development (Atta-Frimpong, 2013; Harper, 2023). These challenges often lead to confusion, disappointment, and frustration, especially when students experience academic failures or face external pressures from parents and relatives during the university enrollment and course selection processes (Fia, 2018; Khan, 2019). The struggle to acquire adequate educational and vocational knowledge is pervasive across all educational levels in Ghana. However, it is particularly evident among university students aspiring to further their studies and enter the workforce (Taylor & Buku, 2006; Millacci, 2023). Many students lack proper guidance and are often uncertain about their future career paths, leaving them unprepared for the challenges ahead (Salawu, 2008; Egbo, 2015). This uncertainty highlights the importance of providing educational, vocational, and personal/social guidance throughout the Ghanaians university experience rather than delaying this support until after graduation. The absence of clear direction in these areas frequently results in confusion and disappointment as students navigate their academic and professional futures without adequate support.

In Ghana, guidance and counselling services emerged in the 1960s, although the practice of guidance can be traced to informal and traditional methods before this period. In the pre-modern context, guidance was often provided by influential community members such as elders, traditional chiefs, and religious leaders. These individuals were regarded as sages, offering advice on a range of matters including marriage, morality, and social conduct. Their guidance was typically delivered through various cultural practices such as dance, poetry, music, and traditional medicine (Atta-Frimpong, 2013). Additionally, guidance was informally integrated into educational settings, where teachers, chaplains, school prefects, and housemasters offered moral and social advice to students (Essuman, 1999). Guidance and counselling in Ghana have been conceptualised as a means of helping individuals achieve a physically, emotionally, intellectually, socially, and vocationally balanced personality tailored to their unique needs (Corey, 2018; Plant, 2012). In the context of universities, guidance and counselling services aim to support the holistic development of students, addressing their educational, vocational, and personal/social needs while also assisting teachers with their personal and social concerns (Aidoo, 2011; Gordon, Guez, & Allen, 2000; Adu & Mpuangnan, 2022). As guidance and counselling services become integral to educational systems in Ghana as well as worldwide, they serve to meet the comprehensive developmental needs of students and teachers, supporting their overall growth. Educational guidance, in particular, plays a pivotal role in helping students navigate their academic journey, providing support for course selection, academic planning, and personal development (Kathuri, Magero & Wamalwa, 2018). This type of guidance helps students make informed decisions regarding their future educational paths, fostering academic success and personal growth (Davidson, 2020; Suhag et al., 2017).

Vocational guidance and counselling are equally important, as they assist Ghanaian students in making informed decisions about their career paths, considering their interests, skills, and capabilities (Taylor & Buku, 2006; Atta-Frimpong, 2013). This guidance area prepares students for the workforce, helping them align their academic pursuits with future career opportunities. By offering insights into potential career paths, vocational guidance aids students in understanding their strengths and weaknesses and empowers them to make rational and informed occupational decisions (Adu & Srivastava, 2024;

In addition to educational and vocational guidance, personal and social guidance plays a critical role in addressing the emotional and social challenges that Ghanaian students and teachers face. Personal and social guidance focuses on self-knowledge, developing social skills, and addressing anxiety, frustration, and maladjustment (Saminu & Isa, 2022;

Despite the critical importance of guidance and counselling, many Ghanaian students and teachers struggle with a lack of direction, leading to feelings of confusion and frustration (Alale, 2019). Students in these institutions are grappling with numerous difficulties, such as academic pressures, economic constraints, and personal adjustment problems. Common issues include peer group influence, substance abuse, problems with relationships, poor self-esteem, suicide and the lure of cultism and violence. In some cases, these challenges manifest in destructive behaviours, such as participation in internal riots, violent clashes, and property destruction, which not only disrupt the academic environment but also pose significant threats to students' social, vocational, and educational development (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) (2022). The severity of these problems calls for effective intervention through guidance and counselling services. Therefore, effective functioning of guidance and counselling centres is crucial in helping students and teachers navigate their personal, academic, and professional challenges.

From the above scenario of guidance and counselling in Ghana, this study examines the functioning of guidance and counselling centres in addressing students and teaching staff issues in public universities of Ghana.

Method

The study adopted a descriptive survey method research design. The population consisted of all fifteen public universities of Ghana, as well as all counsellors at guidance and counselling centres in the 15 public universities of Ghana. Stratified random sampling was used to group the 15 public universities into three zones. The lottery method was used to select the universities in each zone. 30% of the public universities, i.e. one out of the three public universities in the North zone, one out of the four public universities in the Central zone, and three out of eight public universities in the South zone, were selected. All 42 counsellors of the five sampled public universities formed a part of the sample.

Materials

The constructed questionnaire for counsellors focused on one key dimension: the functioning of guidance and counselling centres. The functioning of guidance and counselling centres covered vocational, educational, and social/personal guidance and counselling services, use of time, counselling tools and techniques, services provided by the counsellor, online counselling, records keeping and recordings of counselling sessions. The questionnaire was close-ended. The total number of items was 57.

Data Collection Procedure

An introductory letter from the Department of Education, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, to seek permission from the sampling universities' authorities and respondents (counsellors). The respondents participated in this study willingly. As part of the preliminary phase of the study, informal introductory visits were made to the guidance and counselling centres of the universities included in the sampling frame. These visits were essential for establishing rapport and a better understanding of the centre's operations. The research data was collected using a questionnaire personally administered to the respondents. The questionnaire was distributed during the respondents' free time to ensure their work hours were not disrupted. To maintain the integrity of the data collection process, no interference with the respondents' regular duties was made. The data collection process took place over a period of three months, from June to August 2023. The researchers personally visited various counselling centres across the selected universities, administering the questionnaire to the sample participants in each zone. This approach was carefully designed to ensure the data gathered was accurate and reliable.

Results

The data collected from the respondents were analysed quantitatively using percentage analysis and presented in a tabular form for clarity.

The data related to educational, vocational, and social/personal guidance and counselling, use of time, counselling tools and techniques, services provided by the counsellor, online counselling, records keeping and recordings of counselling sessions in guidance and counselling centres at Ghanaian public universities have been analysed, and the findings are presented below.

Table 1: Vocational Guidance and Counselling

Responses	N=42
	Frequency	Percentage
Areas of Vocational Guidance and Counselling
Career choice	41	97.6%
Student self-employment	40	95.2%
Developing career skills	42	100.0%
Career assessment	39	92.9%
Assistance Given to Students in Vocational Guidance and Counselling
Assistance in occupational choices	41	97.6%

Assistance   with   the   latest   and appropriate job information for students	42	100.0%
Assist students with the needed skills for applying for employment	41	97.6%
Organisation of Vocational Orientation for Students
Organise students with knowledge in a specific career	40	95.2%
Organise entrepreneurial seminars for students	39	92.9%
Organise students with information on career choices	42	100.0%
Frequency of Organisation of Vocational Seminars for Students
Once a year	18	42.9%
Twice a year	20	47.6%
Thrice a year	4	9.5%

The data presented in Table 1 indicates that all counsellors (100%) provided vocational guidance and career skills development to their students. This was further confirmed by the fact that all counsellors (100%) offered their students the latest and most relevant job information concerning vocational guidance. Additionally, all counsellors (100%) organised vocational orientation sessions aimed at helping students make informed career choices. In terms of vocational seminars, the majority of counsellors (47.6%) organised these seminars twice a year.

Table 2: Educational Guidance and Counselling

Responses	N=42
	Freque ncy	Percenta ge
Areas of Educational Guidance and Counselling
Choice of educational programmes	41	97.6%
Information   on   the   availability   of scholarships, stipends, loans, etc	42	100.0%
Developing good study habits	41	97.6%
Assistance Given to Students in Educational Guidance and Counselling
Assist students in getting information on further education	41	97.6%
Assist   students   with the prescribed curriculum	42	100.0%
Assist students in developing knowledge and skills necessary for further studies	41	97.6%
Organisation of Educational Guidance and Counselling Programmes
Yes	42	100.0%
No	0	0.0%
Frequency of Educational Seminars for Students
Once a year	16	38.1%
Twice a year	20	47.6%
Thrice a year	6	14.3%

Table 2 highlights that all counsellors (100%) provided educational guidance and counselling, particularly regarding information on scholarships, stipends, and loans. They all (100%) also assisted students with the prescribed curriculum for educational guidance and counselling.

Furthermore, all counsellors (100%) organised educational guidance and counselling programmes annually. Similar to vocational seminars, the majority of counsellors (47.6%) organised educational seminars twice a year.

Table 3: Social/ Personal Guidance and Counselling

Responses	N=42
	Freque ncy	Percent age
Areas of Social/Personal Guidance and Counselling
Assertiveness	37	88.1%
Personality development	40	95.2%
Safety issues	39	92.9%
Interpersonal skills	36	85.7%
Safety issues	39	92.9%
Interpersonal skills	36	85.7%
Assistance Given on Social/Personal Guidance and Counselling
Assistance to teaching staff and students with different types of emotional problems	38	90.5%
Assistance to teaching staff and students in carrying out character-building activities	40	95.2%
Assists     teaching  staff  and  students recognising their strengths and weakness	42	100.0%
Organisation of Social/Personal Orientation
Successful adjustment to the environment	38	90.5%
Solution to their emotional problems	36	85.7%

Effective use of teaching staff and students leisure time	40	95.2%
Cooperation with friends of the opposite sex effectively	42	100.0%
Frequency of Social/Personal Seminars
Once a year	13	30.9%
Twice a year	28	66.7%
Thrice a year	1	2.4%

According to Table 3, most counsellors (95.2%) provided social/personal guidance and counselling focused on personality development for both teaching staff and students. Furthermore, all counsellors (100%) assisted their teaching staff and students in recognising their strengths and weaknesses during social/personal counselling. All the counsellors (100%) also ensured that teaching staff and students received orientation on cooperating effectively with the opposite sex. Most counsellors (66.7%) organised social/personal seminars twice a year for both teaching staff and students.

Table 4: Use of Time in Guidance and Counselling Centres

Opening Time for the Centres			Closing Time for the centres
Time	N=42		Tim e	N=42
	Frequenc y	Percentag e		Frequenc y	Percentag e
Working Hours of the Centres
7:00 am	0	0.0%	1:00 pm	0	0.0%
8:00 am	42	100.0%	2:00 pm	0	0.0%

9:00 am	0	0.0%	3:00 pm	0	0.0%
10:0 0 am	0	0.0%	4:00 pm	0	0.0%
11:0 0 am	0	0.0%	5:00 pm	42	100.0%
Reporting Time for the Counsellors			Leaving Time for the Counsellors
Reporting and Leaving Time for the Counsellors
7:00 am	0	0.0%	1:00 pm	0	0.0%
8:00 am	42	100.0%	2:00 pm	0	0.0%
9:00 am	0	0.0%	3:00 pm	0	0.0%
10:0 0 am	0	0.0%	4:00 pm	0	0.0%
11:0 0 am	0	0.0%	5:00 pm	42	100.0%
Weekly Working Days of the Counselling Centre
1 day		0		0.0%
2 days		0		0.0%
3 days		0		0.0%
4 days		0		0.0%
5 days		42		100.0%
Average Time Counsellors Spend in a Counselling Session
30 minutes		11		26.2%
45 minutes		25		59.5%
1hr		6		14.3%

1hr 30 minutes

0

0.0%

As indicated in Table 4, all the counsellors (100%) stated that guidance and counselling centres in public universities of Ghana typically open at 8:00 a.m. and close at 5:00 p.m. All the counsellors (100%) adhered to this schedule, reporting at 8:00 a.m. and leaving at 5:00 p.m. All (100.0%) counsellors indicated that the centres work five days a week. On average, 59.5% of the counsellors spent approximately 45 minutes per session with their students or teaching staff.

Table 5: Counselling Tools and Techniques

Tools Used to Collect Data			Techniques Used to Collect Data
Response s	N=42		Respons es	N=42
	Frequen cy	Percent age		Frequen cy	Percent age
Tools and Techniques Used to Collect Data
Achievem ent tests	35	83.3%	Interview	40	95.2%
Aptitude test	30	71.4%
Diagnosti c tests	30	71.4%	Observati on	39	92.9%
Intelligen ce tests	3	71.4%	Sociomet ry	38	90.5%
Personalit y tests	38	90.5%
Medium of Communication during Counselling Process

Verbal communication	35	83.3%
Non-Verbal communication	35	83.3%
Video playbacks	5	11.9%
Psychological Theories on which Counselling is Based
Behavioural theory	36	85.7%
Cognitive theory	39	92.9%
Humanistic theory	34	81.0%
Psychoanalytic theory	38	90.4%
Rational       emotive behavioural theory	39	92.9%
Techniques Used in Counselling
Direct counselling	42	100.0%
Eclectic counselling	41	97.6%
Non-direct counselling	41	97.6%

Table 5 reveals that that 90.5% of the counsellors employed personality tests and 95.2% used interview techniques to gather data on their students and teaching staff. It was found that 83.3% of the counsellors used verbal and non-verbal communication. It was found that majority of the counsellors (92.9%) used cognitive theory and all the counsellors (100.0%) used direct counselling.

Table 6: Services Provided by the Counsellor

Responses	N=42
	Frequency	Percentage
Information Impacted About Guidance and Counselling Centres
During orientation programmes for fresh students at the university	41	97.6%
During university gatherings	39	92.9%
At the university student facilitation centre	19	45.2%
Place of Meeting for Counselling Sessions
Guidance and counselling centre	42	100.0%
Staff common room	0	0.0%
Classroom	0	0.0%
Guidance Services Provided
Information service	42	100.0%
Evaluation service	42	100.0%
Orientation service	42	100.0%
Follow-up service	42	100.0%
Provision of Follow-up Services
Online	41	97.6%
Face-to-face interview	41	97.6%
Discussion	38	90.5%
Roles played as a Counsellor
Advocate to create awareness of the guidance and counselling centre	42	100.0%
As a resource person for the community	42	100.0%

As a liaison between the university and the community	42	100.0%
As a counsellor for clients	42	100.0%

Table 6 demonstrates that 97.6% of the counsellors informed students about the guidance and counselling services available during orientation programmes for new students. Additionally, it was found that 100.0% of the counsellors meet their students at the guidance and counselling centre and all the counsellors (100.0%) provided a range of services, including information, evaluation, orientation, and follow-up. The findings indicated that 97.6% of the counsellors provided follow-up services to their students through online and face-to-face interview. All counsellors (100.0%) acted as advocates, creating awareness about the guidance and counselling centre, serving as resource persons, acting as liaisons between the university and the community, and providing counselling to both teaching staff and students.

Responses	N=42
	Frequency	Percentage
Online Counselling Conducted by Counsellors
Yes	19	45.2%
No	23	54.8%
Preferred Mode for Counselling
Online Counselling	10	23.8%
Face-to-face counselling	32	76.2%
Reliability of Internet Facilities for Online Counselling

No	37	88.1%
Yes	5	11.9%
Devices Used for Online Counselling
Desktop computer	8	19.0%
Laptop	5	11.9%
Tablet	7	16.7%
Smartphone	23	54.7%
None of above	19	45.2%
Online Counselling Benefits
Yes	23	54.8%
No	19	45.2%

Table 7: Online Counselling

Table 7 found that, 54.8% of the counsellors did not conduct online counselling sessions. This limitation highlights a barrier to expanding the reach of counselling services, particularly in a digital age where online platforms can increase accessibility and flexibility for both students and teaching staff. It was found that 76.2% of the counsellors preferred face-to-face counselling mode. 88.1% of the counsellors stated that the centres do not have reliable internet facilities for online counselling. However, most of the counsellors (54.7) used smartphones for these sessions. It was also found that 54.8% of the counsellors indicated that students benefited from online counselling.

Responses	N=42
	Frequency	Percentage

Maintenance of Records after Counselling
Yes	42	100%
No	0	0%
Storage of Records
Counsellor office	42	100.0%
Staff common room	0	0.0%
Storeroom	0	0.0%
Note Keeping
Session notes	0	0.0%
Progress notes	0	0.0%
Session        notes; progress notes	42	100.0%
Checking of Counselling Records
No	8	19.0%
Yes	34	81.0%

Table 8: Keeping Records of Counselling Sessions

Table 8 highlights that counsellors (100%) in university guidance and counselling centres maintained records of counselling sessions and progress notes for their students and teaching staff. All the counsellors (100%) store their records at their office. It was also found that all the counsellors (100%) keep session and progress notes. Moreover, 81.0% of the counsellors reported that university authorities periodically checked their counselling records.

Table 9: Recordings of Counselling Sessions

Responses	N=42
	Frequency	Percentage
Recording of Teaching Staff and Students during Counselling Sessions
No	8	19.0%
Sometimes	34	81.0%
Always	0	0.0%
Devices Used for Recording Teaching Staff and Students
Desktop computer	7	16.7%
Laptop	21	50.0%
Tablet	3	7.1%
Smartphone	27	64.3%
None of the above	6	14.3%
Recordings Used in the Centres
Audio recording	26	61.9%
Visual recording	6	14.3%
Audio-visual recording	2	4.8%
None of the above	8	19.0%

Table 9 reveals that 81.0% of the counsellors sometimes recorded their counselling sessions with students and teaching staff. Majority of the counsellors (64.3%) used smartphones for recording. Most of the counsellor (61.9%) used audio recordings to record their sessions.

Discussion

The findings on counselling tools and techniques reveal that counsellors primarily rely on personality tests and interview techniques for data collection. This approach allows counsellors to gain a comprehensive understanding of their clients' needs and tailor their interventions accordingly. The use of both verbal and non-verbal communication during counselling processes emphasises the importance of effective communication in building rapport and understanding clients' concerns. The prevalence of cognitive and rational emotive behavioural theory, along with direct counselling techniques, indicates that counsellors employ evidence-based approaches to facilitate meaningful change and development among students and teaching staff. Khan (2019) studies advocate for supporting, strengthening, and effective use of verbal and non-verbal communication to address teaching staff and students' fundamental issues and concerns and enhance the efficacy of guidance and counselling centres.

The maintenance of counselling records and progress notes is an important practice that ensures continuity and accountability in the counselling process. The findings suggest that most counsellors kept records of their sessions, and university authorities regularly checked these records. This practice not only supports the monitoring of students’ progress but also ensures that counsellors can provide informed and consistent support over time. Bell (2013) found in his study that counsellors keep teaching staff and students' records, protecting teaching staff and students' confidentiality and adhering to legal and ethical standards. Documentation and record-keeping are crucial ethical factors in counselling, pushing the boundaries of privacy and secrecy (Estabrook et al., 2010). Countries and state laws and statutes require counsellors to keep their records in a safe, secure format (such as computer-encrypted files) (ACA, 2014).

The occasional recording of counselling sessions, with a preference for audio recording using smartphones, suggests that counsellors may be adopting modern technologies to aid in documentation and analysis. However, the fact that these recordings were not conducted routinely raises questions about consistency in documentation and whether this practice could be further developed to enhance the quality of counselling services. This may be because counsellors in the centres are used to smartphones rather than other devices, and it is easy for them to keep teaching staff and students confidential.

Implications

The Ghanaian government and university authorities should invest in improving internet access and digital tools within guidance and counselling centres to enable reliable online counselling services. This would ensure that students and teaching staff have equal access to counselling support, especially in remote or underserved areas. Also, the university authorities should implement standardised digital recordkeeping systems for counsellors to ensure secure, organised, and easily accessible records of counselling sessions. This will improve the efficiency and accountability of the counselling process while facilitating better follow-up services for students. Again, the guidance and counselling unit should organise workshops and in-service training for the lecturer counsellors in the guidance and counselling centres. Lastly, the guidance and counselling unit should organise more frequent vocational and educational seminars (at least twice a year) to ensure students receive up-to-date career and academic guidance. This can be achieved by allocating resources for event planning and involving industry professionals to provide practical insights.

Conclusion

This study examined the functioning of guidance and counselling centres in higher education: A survey of the public universities in Ghana, focusing on their effectiveness and service delivery. The findings indicate that these centres operate effectively, providing valuable educational, vocational, and social/personal counselling services to teaching staff and students. The counsellors utilised various counselling tools and techniques, managing their time efficiently and maintaining comprehensive records of counselling sessions. Additionally, the availability of online counselling services further enhances accessibility and support for the university community, however the internet connectivity need to be strengthened. The study underscores the importance of guidance and counselling centres in educational institutions and highlights the ongoing need for counsellors to remain committed to strengthening their efforts. By continuing to provide essential guidance services, they play a critical role in assisting students with career planning, academic development, and personal well-being, thereby ensuring they have access to relevant job information and the necessary support to navigate the prescribed curriculum.

This study is part of my Ph.D Thesis tilted “Functioning of Guidance and Counselling Centres in Public Universities of Ghana” submitted to the Department of Education, Faculty of Education and Psychology, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, India, for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Education.

Acknowledgment

We are grateful to Prof. S. Antiw Danso (UEW), Dr. Theresa Antwi (UEW), Dr. Adams Issuif (UDS), Fr. Prof. Anthony Nkyi (UCC), Dr. Kasim Abudulai (UCC), and Eric Adu Opare (UG) for their wonderful support towards my data collection for the success of this research work. Also, we are highly indebted to the counsellors who provided us with the needed data to conduct this study .

Data Availability Statement

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.