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ROLE OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING SERVICES IN CURBING SOCIAL VICES AMONG FEMALE STUDENTS IN FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, PANKSHIN

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background to the Study

The rapid acculturation arising from globalisation has been identified as an important factor responsible for increased social vices in modern societies among the females (Udebhulu, 2009). Individuals have to contend with these vices because they violate the societal norms and values. In other words, they could be regarded as ‘thorn in the flesh’ of human peace and tranquility. Social vices are any deviant behaviour in disapproved direction of such a degree that it exceeds the tolerance limit of the community (Omonijo & Nnedum, 2012). It may also be regarded as a condition which affects large number of people in an adverse manner. Social vices arise from behaviours of maladjusted people in the society, but this ailment does not constitute much problem to humanity because movement of affected persons is seriously restricted to a defined location. The bulk of social vices escalating in the society recently has to do with the level of illiteracy, mass unemployment, abject poverty, prevalence of general indiscipline at all levels of the society, incomplete socialisation and globalisation which touch on economic, political, social, cultural, technological and environmental facets of human life (Omonijo & Nnedum, 2012).

In Nigerian institutions, Omonijo and Nnedum (2012) observed that youths (the female undergraduate students) have been instrumental to the rising wave of social vices such as examination misconduct, drug abuse, gambling, indecent dressing, co-habiting, sexual abuse, rape, criminal or dysfunctional behaviours like cheating, dishonesty, cultism, smuggling, prostitution, thuggery and rioting of any kind, among others, probably for financial gain and other reasons best known to them. In this case, no educational system that involves itself in these vices can succeed academically. Furthermore, the consequence of social vices amongst the female students has been lack of information and necessary services that protect adolescents from the challenges of unforeseen circumstances. What is shocking is that due to the financial constraints at the higher institutions, female students form the bulk of bad lifestyles who walk up and down in places like Eliz, Ketring, Bewok, Vel Sunset, Wuktori, White House, Kyenpyia Joint, etc with the community of Federal College of Education, Pankshin. Many things happen in these mentioned lodges. Some happen to conceive or take in as they meet with the opposite sex. According to Abiodun & Balogun (2009), for fear of the stigma from the society, female students tend to abort or terminate unwanted pregnancies owing to so many reasons ranging from poor socio-economic conditions, uncommitted sexual partners, authoritarian parents, and peer influence to unpreparedness of motherhood.

Guidance and counselling service in collaboration with education confronts some of today’s most difficult and challenging issues such as empowering students to be critical thinkers and creating reasoning ability through education and for curbing social ills, among others. In other words, it is, therefore, necessary to make people understand that guidance and counselling service is designed and recommended to give information to students especially those who are going astray in their individual lives. If counsellors fail to meet and fulfill these roles, a problem occurs leading to social vices. Federal College of Education Pankshin is an area of study which is aimed at producing professional teachers, who, after successful training, can offer teachers and counsellors with high level degree of competence. Competence in this context is the ability to perform work activities to the standards required in school. It embodies the ability to transfer skills and knowledge to work situations within the area. The government of Nigeria recognizes Guidance and Counselling as an essential service that must be offered to every student in the country with the hope of inculcating in him/her certain desirable qualities. This has been demonstrated in National Policy on Education, which outline the implementation of guidance and counselling in institutions (FRN, 2013).

The motivation for this research has come from a thorough observation of female students in Federal College of Education Pankshin, who, the parents/relatives rent houses for them to stay and foster their academic pursuit. There are a number of reported cases of social vices such as unplanned pregnancy as some only had one-nightstands-where you find that a person is sexually involved with someone she has just met for one day. This study has much concern on the academic, social, and physical implications of social vices on the female students which the researcher seeks whether guidance and counselling services will reduce the prevalence of the vices.

• Statement of the Problem

Nigeria has witnessed an alarming rate of incidents of social vices among the school-going females and the society at large. However, the value and functionality of any education system lie in its ability to deliver the goals of education of turning females away from such vices. Guidance and Counselling service offered in Federal College of Education Pankshin is not an exception. In educational system, globally, management of such social vices and traits make the difference. The goals of guidance and counselling become a mirage if social vices are not curbed in the society. Evidence abound of increasing involvement in social vices by the female students.

Studies on social vices among female students in Federal College of Education Pankshin are few, with a lot of studies done excluding the role of guidance and counselling services at all levels. This points out to the need of more studies, because most of the female students embark on social vices such as abortion as a result of lack of proper information and awareness. The problem of abortion in tertiary institution is very big but much underreported; women are not open to discuss on the sensitive issue of abortion. It has become imperative, therefore to get some answers to the questions as to why some students fall pregnant and say it was unplanned. So this study will provide information on the real situation at tertiary institution level.

The incidents of social vices are common everywhere that the youths and the society at large witness the emergence of new and indigenous ways of carrying out unscrupulous acts. All over the world, crimes have saturated the society in one way or the other. Every day seems to generate a new set of crimes and atrocities, ranging from mild to hard. These crimes have proportionately grown in such a way that they seem to defy control. The question now is: what are the social vices in tertiary institutions today that virtually affect the female students? What are the causes of these vices? If these vices are carried out by the female students; what are the effects? What are the roles of guidance and counselling services to these social vices? Providing answers to these questions form the basis for this study.

• Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study was to investigate the role of guidance and counselling services in curbing social vices among female students in Federal College of Education, Pankshin. Specifically, the study sought to:

1. Identify social vices among the female students in Federal College of Education Pankshin.
2. Identify the effects of these social vices among the female students in Federal College of Education Pankshin.

• Examine the roles of guidance and counselling services in curbing social vices among female students in Federal College of Education Pankshin.

1. Find out the possible solutions to the social vices indulged in by the female students in Federal College of Education Pankshin.
   • Research Questions

The study was guided by the following research questions:

1. What are the social vices found among female students in Federal College of Education Pankshin?
2. What are the effects of the social vices found among the female students in Federal College of Education Pankshin?

• What are the roles of guidance and counselling services in curbing social vices among female students in Federal College of Education Pankshin?

1. What are the possible solutions to the problems of social vices indulged in by the female students in Federal College of Education Pankshin?

• Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study:

1. There is no significant relationship between the role of guidance and counselling on causes of social vices among female students in FCE Pankshin.
2. There is no significant difference between the effects of social vices on the educational pursuit of the female students in FCE Pankshin.

• Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be beneficial to the following persons:

Counselling Unit: The data elicited in this study could be used by the counselling unit to evaluate, establish educational services and students’ utilization of those services.

Female Students: They will be provided with information necessary to avert dangers of the impact of social vices especially as it concerns educational pursuit. This information will guide the female students on the proper health habits which enhance academic performance.

Family and School Authorities: They would equally benefit from this study by making sure that they keep their teenage girls busy at home, and ensure that they read good books, watch educative films, and avoid violent and romantic films.

Health Systems Research: This will serve as a guide or reference material for the future to map out strategies to combat the problems associated with the effects of social vices among female students.

Public in General: It will help to create awareness to the public on the existence of the negative effects of female social vices towards health, especially abortion, smoking and heavy consumption of alcohol.

Government: It will help the government to plan for intervention and promulgate policies against such social vices that are not beneficial to the female students.

Researchers: The Academic Board of the College should be encouraged to support the development of relevant curricular and support materials on social vices. Hence, this study will contribute to the study materials that could be infused and integrated into the syllabus of all academic disciplines.

• Delimitation and Scope of the Study

This study focuses on one institution of higher learning (Federal College of Education, Pankshin) to represent the other tertiary institutions in Plateau State. As a result, it reduces the population and area to be surveyed to a manageable size.

• Operational Definition of Terms

Social vices: These refer to the behaviours ranging from abortion, prostitution, smoking, cheating, partying, drug abuse, among others that are not wanted in the school which the female students exhibit leading to lower grade and health challenges.

Abortion: In this study, abortion refers to the illegal removal of embryo or foetus from the uterus at a stage of pregnancy by the female student.

Female Students: This refers to the category of students with characteristics of a woman.

Advice: Is mainly a one-way exchange and is persuasive. It entails giving an opinion, judgment and making a recommendation for a female student to follow.

Behaviour: In this context, refers to the way a female student controls herself in reference to social vices.

Counselling: Refers to the application of personal resources of the College to the solutions of the social vices faced by the female students.

Guidance: It is the systematic organised phase of the educational process, which helps the female student grow in proven ways that give point and direction to their lives. It involves adjustments, problem solving, educating, influencing, instructing and encouraging.

Effects: This refers to consequences resulting from mental or physical distress, education or difficult circumstances a female student faces after indulging in social vices.