Determinants of Guidance and Counseling Programme in Addressing Students Social Adjustment in Secondary Schools in Siaya District, Kenya
Rhoda Topister Auni, Songok, Ruth Jepchirchir, Ong’unya Raphael Odhiambo, Nabwire, Joanne Lyanda

Abstract
Schools in Siaya District have experienced problems of student unrests, indiscipline cases and poor social relationship among students and teachers. The prevalence of use of alcohol and substance abuse among students between 2004 and 2008 was at 70.0%, while sexual immorality was 54.0% and 34.0% was for cases of unrest. Guidance and counseling programme has a pivotal role in assisting students adopt acceptable behavior in the school environment. The purpose of this study was to examine the determinants of guidance and counseling programme on students’ social adjustment in public secondary schools in Siaya District. The study employed Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. Target population was 3211 which comprised of 2,505 grade twelve students, 68 Head teachers and 569 teachers all drawn from 68 schools, and one District Quality Assurance and Standards Officer. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select 752 students, 171 teachers and 21 Head teachers. Saturated sampling was used to select the District Quality Assurance and Standards Officer. Questionnaire and interview schedule were used to collect data. The instruments were piloted for their validity and reliability; a correlation coefficient of 0.82 and 0.83 for students’ and teachers’ questionnaire respectively were obtained. Quantitative data was processed to generate frequency counts and percentages. Qualitative data was transcribed, organized into emergent themes and reported. The study found out that guidance and counseling department is faced with: lack of facilities and resources; inadequate training of teacher counselors; and teacher counselors being members of the disciplinary committees in schools. The study concluded that guidance and counseling programme had inadequately contributed to students’ social adjustment as a result of inadequate facilities, and ineffective strategies of guidance and counseling were being used in schools. The study recommended that guidance and counseling be strengthened by providing appropriate facilities to run the programme, and posting of trained teacher-counselors to head the departments.

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