Guidance Services in Boarding High Schools in Southern Province,Zambia

This study evaluated school guidance services in boarding high schools based on
learners' views. Three objectives guided the study namely; to find out the problems
learners in boarding high schools face, to establish the types of the guidance services
available in boarding high schools and to investigate learners' evaluation of the
guidance services in boarding high schools.
The sample comprised 271 respondents from three (3) co - educational boarding high
schools .They consisted of (265) learners; 135 female and 130 male learners, 3
headteachers and 3 ounsellors. "Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was
used to generate frequency tables, percentages and graphs and Qualitative data was analysed qualitatively. Results showed that there were peculiar problems learners in boarding high schools faced and these included meals that were poorly prepared, not balanced and insufficient, poor dormitory accommodation, erratic supply of water and poor sanitation, bullying and sexual violence, peer pressure, homesickness, out break of
diseases and restrictive rules. In addition they shared with day high school learners
problems such as poor or lack of information on entry into colleges, universities and
job, inadequate co - curricular activities, inadequate teaching and learning materials,
shortages of teaching staff, HIV/AIDS and corruption.
The findings revealed that educational, vocational, avocational, personal/social and
health guidance services were available in the boarding high schools. However, these
guidance services were not offered to a satisfactory degree due to a number of
challenges which included lack of trained School Counsellors, inadequate resources and
materials for the guidance units, inaccessibility of School Counsellors to learners due to
high teaching loads and the inadequate funding to the guidance units. However, despite
the challenges learners were satisfied with the guidance services provided.
The study recommended that the Ministry of Education should train School Counsellors
and deploy them in all boarding high schools on a full time basis. The study also
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recommended that Boarding High Boards should ensure that School Counsellors'
services are fully and effectively utilized and that School counselors train leaner peer -
counselors and establish guidance clubs.