CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Guidance and counselling as a movement started in America at the beginning of

20^th Century as a reaction to change process in an industrialized society. Guidance and

counselling services were set up within the department of education in September 1968

when the recommendations made by Louis, a consultant sent over to Malta by United

Nation‟s Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), were taken up,

Summit (1997). Globally, guidance and counselling services are essential elements in

discipline management of people in all societies. It could be difficult for any society to

function well without the exercise of discipline. School guidance and counselling

programmes have therefore been introduced to assist students overcome the number of

challenges they experience at home and at school. Nziramasanga (1999) states that because

of many pressures imposed on the family, parents tend to have little time with their

children to give them the necessary guidance. The parents expect the school to provide

solutions to the indiscipline in secondary schools caused by their children. UNESCO

(2002:2) adds that “African adults have become more concerned with earning money and

are less occupied with many traditional practices that formerly contributed to the

upbringing of young people”. Rapid sociological changes emanating from modernization

and urbanization stress student

The historical development of guidance and counselling in Cameroon can be broken down

into three distinct interrelated areas. The Era of Searching, 1945-1968, the Era of Identity,

1968-1982 and the Era of New Directions, since 1982 till date. Era of Searching from

1945-1968; The French Administration was concerned with the crucial problem of

selection of manpower (labour) to work in factories teachers (Oyieyo, 2012). An in-service

was therefore created within the Public Works Department with its headquarters in Douala.

Understandably, this service was essentially charged with the selection of executive staff,

students, and apprentices to undergo technical training. In 1949, this service was

transformed by Decree No. 49-4192 of 26th December 1949 into “The Center for

Psychological Counselling and Vocational Choice”, and it was mandated to carry out

studies of a general nature on the selection of professional staffs for different services in

the territory, to advise and supervise labour training and security, and In 1951, (Conseiller

Principale de Orientation Scolaire Universite et Professional) C.P.O.S.U.P was scrapped

and replaced, at least in name by the “Service for Psychological Counselling and

Vocational Choice” (S.P.O.S.P) and attached to the Secretary General of the Local

Governor. The change was purely nominal for the duties of S.P.O.S.P were those formerly

undertaken by C.P.O.S.U.P. Later, by Decree No. 63/46 CDR of 16 August 1963,

S.P.O.S.P was replaced with the Service of Vocational Guidance and Psychological

Studies of Labour Problems. Although the service was placed under the Secretariat of State

for Labour, it was significant for two basic reasons (Anyi, 2017). For the first time, an

official link was established between the Secretariat of State for Labour and the Ministry of

National Education (MINEDUC) in matters of guidance and counselling. Secondly,

official recognition was given to the need for career counselling, in view of the increasing

numbers of educational establishments and the increasing student population (Weiten,

2007).The responsibilities of these services now include among others: carrying out

psychological studies adapted to the orientation and vocational selection of individuals for

the public and private sectors; to provide psycho-technical tests within competitive

examinations organized by the MINEDUC for different levels of education, such as

primary, secondary and technical schools belonging to the state, private organizations or

individuals; and to aid other Ministries in ensuring that appropriate manpower was

recruited for their services (Anyi, 2017).

The Era of Identity from (1968-1982). The identity that was mutely provided to career

counselling in 1963 was reinforced and enlarged during the life of the second 5-year

Federal Development Plan (1966/1971). It was envisaged that beginning with the second

5-year plan, counselling will play a role in the promotion of students from lower to higher

levels of the school system (Abolade, 2000). To meet this objective, career and educational

problems were separated from those of labour and employment. While labour and

employment remained within the competence of the Ministry of Labour, by Decree No.

68/DF/268 of 12 July 1968 reorganizing the MINEDUC, a Guidance bureau was created

within the Planning Service of MINEDUC. The bureau was given the assignment of

providing parents and students with all necessary information related to their studies; to

orientate students to follow the paths corresponding to their aptitudes both physically and

intellectually in line with their personal interest and economic needs; to initiate and

maintain school files and undertake studies on the most appropriate psychological methods

for use in school and secondary school counselling under Cameroon conditions. In view of

the shortage of Cameroonians in this discipline, the Government solicited and received

technical assistance from UNESCO and the French Government established the framework

of executing this task. School files were established and tests were administered to some

students mainly in few schools in Yaoundé and Douala areas (Joseph and Yahayaa, 2014).

The Era of new directions since (1982) till date. Career and vocational counselling had

received recognition as an agent of change or an intervention tool. However, for these and

other reasons, a section for the training of counsellors was established within the

Department of Science of Education in the “Ecole Normale Superieure”, Yaoundé in 1982

by Decree No. 79/309 of the 10th of August 1979. The admission of the two-years

programmed was by direct competitive examinations. The examinations were opened to

Cameroonians and foreigners, within the ages of 18-32, and holders of a Bachelor‟s degree

or its equivalent in any discipline. The background of those admitted varied greatly as the

students could include teachers, lawyers, economists, as well as those trained in the natural

sciences. Today many more counselling programs have been introduced in other states‟

universities in the country. For example, Universities of Maroua and Bamenda precisely in

the Higher Teacher Training Colleges of these two universities. Counsellors are also

trained in other schools like the Higher Technical Teachers Training Colleges of Kumba,

Douala, Ebolowa, and Bamenda. In addition, the Department of Counselling Psychology

has gone operational in the Faculty of Education of the University of Bamenda while the

Department of Educational Psychology in the University of Buea and that of Psychology in

the University of Yaoundé all run training programs for counsellors. This has broadened

the scope of the discipline hence many more people are beginning to see the need for

guidance and counselling in our schools in general and secondary schools in particular

(Documented).

Contextually, Education is a very important aspect of every nation. In Cameroon, the

government and the society pay a lot of attention to its existence and a lot of resources are

allocated to ensure its smooth functioning. Thus, education should be checked in and out to

make sure that students are disciplined in schools so that their success can be guaranteed.

This is the reason why the researcher is interested in finding out the effectiveness of

guidance and counselling services and the management of students‟ discipline in the south

west region (SWR) of Cameroon. Formerly, students used to be disciplined physically,

socially, emotionally, and cognitively before going to school but today, students go to

school unready (students going late to school, staying out of classes during teaching), little

or no discipline and this greatly affects their behaviours (Kolo, 2001). Worst of it all the

minister of secondary education has denied the use of corporal punishment in school,

which in those days was used to strengthen students‟ behavior. To be disciplined in and out

of school means that, students have to be prepared for learning and they should strive to be

very successful or to be achieving better or excellent academic results. When students are

ready for discipline in schools, it is logical that output will be increased leading to success.

Thus, those aspects that make students discipline deserve some research because the end

result is high academic achievement. Students are expected to be given some discipline by

their parents and the community in order for them to acquire some behaviour that will

make them ready for school. Before, teachers were seen as semi-god by the government,

communities, families, and students (Akinade, 2012). Nowadays, most students enter

school unprepared. This is exhibited in so many ways such as; hesitation to go to school,

refusal to participate in a class or to do assignments, unwillingness to learn, and many

others. Most of these students generally lack courtesy, respect, self-control, decency, and

social etiquette. The values they portray are disrespect toward authority, promiscuity, drug

abuse, addiction behaviour and carefree lifestyles. As if that is not enough, students killing

teachers. For example, a mathematics teacher by the name of Mr. Boris Kelvin was killed

by a student in Government High School Nkolbissong in Yaoundé (the Guidance

newspaper, 2020).

A learner in a new school or in a higher level of a learning institution is to cope with the

new environment through guidance. Learners are helped to develop a better understanding

of whom they are and appreciate of their background. Learners are guided on self-

awareness, peer pressure, relationships, personality differences, manners and social

etiquette, social roles and responsibility, intra and interpersonal conflict resolutions.

Though personal and social guidance, a student is helped to overcome indiscipline as a

quest for freedom. Indiscipline among students is as a result of feelings of unfulfillment,

frustration and lack of constructive freedom (Bamgbaiye, 2005). Secondary school

counsellors provide counselling programs in three critical areas: academic,

personal/social, and career (Egbo, 2013). Their services and programs help students

resolve emotional, social or behavioural problems and help them develop a clearer focus or

sense of direction. Effective counselling programs are important to the secondary schools‟

climate and a crucial element in improving student achievement through discipline.

Secondary schools‟ counsellors, like all educational professionals, are increasingly being

required to demonstrate evidence of effective practice. This work provides concrete

reflections to determine how Cameroon secondary schools are cribbing in meeting the

discipline needs of students through guidance and counselling programs (Bamgbaiye,

2005). Discipline refers to self-restraint in individuals for the welfare of all. That is; the

control of someone‟s or one‟s own emotions and actions for the development of desirable

attitudes according to acceptable standards. Discipline is a powerful predictor of many

important outcomes in our society today. Educational achievement, lifetime earnings,

physical and mental health, and even delinquency and law-breaking behaviour have been

linked to discipline. The letter was written by the Minister of Secondary Education on 21

January 2020 titled „New measures to Strengthen Discipline and Security in Schools (no

later than 4th February 2020) to the Heads of Government and Private Institutions, was

evidence that schools were not disciplined as expected (discipline is not satisfactory). The

letter general objective was the practical proposals to strengthen discipline and security in

schools, as an educational policy to solve the major problems plaguing the Cameroon

School system. As educators, researchers, and policymakers attempt to understand how to

promote discipline in schools; more and more attention is being placed on the preschool

(family) discipline because it is the base for future discipline.

However, our education system is sick with the upsurge of violence between students

against students and students against teachers. Looking at what is going on in our

educational system today irrespective of the efforts made by the Minister of Education to

handle indiscipline in public secondary schools in Cameroon, indiscipline of varied nature

has persisted in these schools with a new dimension. Not only were they violent and

destructive, but they were premeditated, organized, and caused the greatest damage to

human life. If that scenario is anything to go by, then indiscipline was a threat to our

school. It‟s common to hear parents, teachers, and church leaders blaming each other for

failing to teach young people to behave well. Many parents have abandoned the teaching

of their children which they have entrusted to the teachers (Oyieyo, 2012). The whole

country has been experiencing political civil unrest and Kumba Municipality is not an

exception. Indiscipline causes in public secondary schools in Cameroon had become a

matter of concern in recent years to stakeholders. Sources from the district education office

(2020) indicate that for the last three years over dozen schools have had major indiscipline

cases and caused harm to the students, teachers, and parents‟ schools as indicated by vices

such as drugs abuse, strikes, destruction of school properties, truancy, immorality,

harassment, and others.

Theoretically; this area reveals some theories relevant for guidance counselling and

discipline in public secondary schools. Several theories of discipline and learning have

influenced discussions on guidance counselling. In this case we will cite one of them;

The Social Learning Theory by Albert Bandura (1986)

The study was informed by the social learning theory originally developed by Bandura in

the late 1970s. The basis of social learning is the observation and modeling of behavior,

attitude, and emotional reactions to others. Students will observe peer counsellor‟s

achievement, behavior and emulate them. Social skills and personal development are

influenced by the observed model. Social learning theorists suggest that people learn from

others too through the process of observation and imitation. The Social Learning Theory

by Bandura (1977) helps to explain how people acquire complex behaviour in social

settings. He states that people learn: Through direct experience, indirectly, by observing

and modelling the behaviour of others with whom the person identifies (for example, how

young people see their peers behaving), through training that leads to confidence in being

able to carry out behaviour. This specific condition is called self-efficacy, which includes

the ability to overcome any barriers to performing the behaviour. The role of the peer

counsellors is thus to teach through modeling of appropriate behaviour, influence attitudes

and values and teach social skills. Peer counsellors are constantly serving as live models

for their clients. Certainly, this theory can be used to teach positive behaviors to students.

Teachers can use positive role models to increase desired behaviors and thus change the

culture of a school. Not only will individual students benefit from positive role models in

and out of the classroom, but the entire class and student body will do so. Other classroom

strategies such as encouraging children and building self-efficacy are rooted in social

learning theory. For example, if a teacher is positive with their students and they encourage

them, this positive energy and verbal encouragement, in turn, helps build self-efficacy, the

belief in one‟s abilities to succeed in various situations.

Conceptually, This section deals with the examination of some relevant concepts in this

study such as: guidance and counselling, individual counselling, group counselling, peer

counselling and students‟ discipline.

Guidance and Counselling

Guidance and counselling is described as an enlightened process whereby people help

people by facilitating growth and positive adjustment through self-understanding (Kolo,

2001). Akinade (2012) defines guidance and counselling as a process of helping an

individual become fully aware of himself and the ways in which he is responding to the

influences of his environment. It further assists him to establish some personal meaning

for this behaviour and to develop and classify a set of goals and values for future

behaviour.

Types of Counselling

Individual Counselling:

This is referred to as one-to-one counselling. It occurs between the professionally

trained Counsellor (Therapist) and his client (Counselee). The goal of this is to help the

client to understand himself, clarify and direct his thought, in order to make a worthwhile

decision. Through this, clients‟ problems are alleviated. O.D. Ojo (2005), other scholars

opined that individual counselling is mainly to bring about change in the client either by

altering maladaptive behaviour, learning the decision-making process or preventing

problems (Ojo, 2005; Mikaye, 2012; and Omoniyi, 2016).

Group Counselling

This is a counselling session that takes place between the professionally trained

counsellor and a group of people. Number of this group should not be more than seven, or

at most ten, in order to have a cohesive group and an effective well controlled

counselling session. Members of the groups are clients/counselees whose tasks or

problems that are meant for resolution are similar. During group counselling, a free

atmosphere is allowed and freedom of speech is encouraged (Mikaye, 2012).

Peer Counselling

Peer counselling in schools is a process where students are trained in helping skills to

offer, under supervision, listening, support, and alternatives to other students, and to

educate and influence their peers by modifying their knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, or

behaviour (Deutsch & Swartz, 2002). The American School Counsellors‟ Association

defines peer counselling as a variety of interpersonal helping behaviours assumed by non-

professionals/paraprofessionals who undertake a helping role with others.

Management of students’ discipline in public secondary schools.

Different authors have defined discipline in various terms. Adesina (1980; 108), says that

discipline is to teach the students manners on how to show respect to school

authorities, to observe the school laws and regulations and to maintain an established

standard of behaviour. From this definition the school has a primordial role to play in

instilling discipline into their students. Therefore, school administrators and teachers

should enforce acceptable behaviour in their students. According to Were (2006) the word

discipline means a system of guiding the individuals to make reasonable decision

responsibly. Discipline express students to the art of self-control, and social chaos can

only be avoided if restraints are built into the character of students (Were 2006).

Statement of the problem

In spite of the implementation of guidance and counselling in public secondary schools in

Cameroon, indiscipline issues still exist. Wangai in (2014) points out that the youth

indulge in pleasure and luxury. They have bad manners, no contempt for authority, and

disrespect for older people (Edet, 2018). It is common to hear parents and teachers blaming

each other, for failing to teach young people how to behave. For instance, some parents

these days has failed woefully in teaching their children good morals, all they do is to

chase after money and forget their responsibilities as parents, they have forgotten to know

that children need love and attention that if not gotten from them, they turn to do what they

like, more so, with the socio-political crises plaguing the northwest and southwest has

brought more harm than good, where some schools are closed up adding to the population

of the existing once, this has led to the growth of indiscipline in these school. Moreover,

despite all these, they are some teachers who have neglected their duties for their own

personal interest, that why it is common in the morning when students are supposed to be

in class, you find them playing outside because the teacher that was supposed to teach

them is not there. Students have become uncontrolled and highly disrespectful to

themselves, teachers, parents, school administrators, and to society at large. Students

portray different types of indiscipline behavior such as, boycotting of lessons, watching

and practicing pornography, lies telling, violence, disobedience to teachers, prefects, and

school administrators, alcohol consumption, controlling, gambling and stabbing teachers

not leaving out their mates. It‟s for this reason that this study sought to investigate the

effectiveness of guidance and counselling services in managing students‟ discipline in

some selected public schools in Buea Municipality in the SWR of Cameroon. This study

therefore, pondered on whether individual counseling, group counseling and peer

counseling influence students discipline in some selected public school in Buea

Municipality in the South West Region of Cameroon.

Research question

Main research question

To what extent does guidance and counseling services influence students‟ discipline in

some selected public secondary school in Buea Municipality in the SWR of Cameroon?

Specific research questions

(i) To what extent does individual counseling influence students‟ discipline

in some selected public secondary school in Buea Municipality in the

SWR of Cameroon?

(ii) To what extent does group counseling influence students‟ discipline in

some selected pubic secondary school in Buea Municipality in the SWR

of Cameroon?

(iii) To what extent does peer counselling influence students‟ discipline in

some selected public secondary school in Buea Municipality in the SWR

of Cameroon?

Objectives of the study

To fulfil the purpose of the study, the following objectives were examined:

The main objective

The main objective of the study is to investigate the influence of guidance and counseling

services on students‟ discipline in some selected public secondary school in Buea

Municipality in the SWR of Cameroon.

Specific Objectives

1. i. To determine the extent to which individual counseling influences students‟

discipline in some selected public secondary school in Buea Municipality in the

SWR of Cameroon.

1. ii. To establish the extent to which group counseling influences students‟

discipline in some selected public secondary school in Buea Municipality in the

SWR of Cameroon.

iii. To examine the extent to which peer counselling influences students‟ discipline in

some selected public secondary school in Buea Municipality in the SWR of Cameroon.