GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING IN EDUCATION Elite Dy. Professor Adeyemi I; Idowy B.Sc Ed. (Ife), M.S. (UW.W). Ph.d. (Pittsburgh): NCC; MCASSON Department of Guidance and ‘Counselling, Faculty of Education, University of Horin, Horin, Nigeria© Department of Educational Guidance and Counselling, ‘University of Ilorin, Kwara State. ISBN 978-32285-7-9 r All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in 4 retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the Prior permission of the copyright owner. First Published in Nigeria 1998 Second Edition 2004, : Printed by: INDEMAC Pubiishers (Wig,) Ltd. «1% 100B Ibrahim Taiwo Road, P.O.Box 450, = Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. Tel: 08037174006FOREWORD Guidance and Counselling is a helping profession; it is a moulding, a reconstruction and a rehabilitating process, it is a self revealing relationship, and it is both preventive and curative of mal-adaptive and self destructive tendencies. Its focus is on the individual even when such an individual is within the group. Guidance and counselling is required in schools and colleges and universities, in hospitals, in the courts, in industries and companies; in fact, there is need for guidance and counselling in every work-place; there is pastoral counselling in the churches and athletes, footballers etc all need guidance as well as counselling. Guidance and Counselling, however, is relatively new in the Nigerian educational system. The first serious official recognition was given to guidance, particularly, in the 1977 National Policy on Education (NPE). This document called attention to counselling as a needed service within the system; it stressed the need for guidance ‘as well as for counselling in various parts of the policy. Some states of the Federation had identified counselling and guidance as a necessary component of a full, ‘comprehensive educational system as early as in the late 1950's, especially with the introduction of Comprehensive High schools in Aiyetoro in the then Western Region and in Port Harcourt in the then Eastern Region, but there was no serious attention given to integrating counselling services and guidance system into the schools and colleges across the country. Even the reluctant start in the late 50’s soon gave way to apathy, neglect and eventual abandonment of the services. In. 1964, the Federal Ministry of Education created a guidance and counselling unit within the Ministry and started encouraging the States to do likewise. The renaissance in 1977 re-awakened the various States of the Federation. The Federal Government started awarding scholarships and bursaries to candidates going into the universities for courses in guidance and counselling. Sécondary schools were directed to create counselling units in their schools and Ministries started posting counsellors to the schools. But the idea just refused to catch on. Principals became resistant to the idea to having full time school counsellors and preferred using the counsellors to teach; there were no facilities for the counsellors to use; schools would not provide office space for counsellors under the excuse (though a very genuine one) that there are no enough space in the schools; students themselves would not patronize counsellors, among other reasons, because they are ignorant of the roles of the counsellor, they are suspicious of an acceptant, non-judgemental adult and “there is not time to see the counsellor”. I put this in quotes because even counsellors complained that there is no time on the time-table devoted to counselling. ThereFOREWORD Guidance and Counselling is a helping profession; it is @ moulding, a reconstruction and a rehabilitating process, it is a self revealing relationship, and it is both preventive and curative of mal-adaptive and self destructive tendencies. Its focus is on the individual even. ‘when such an individual is within the group. Guidance and counselling is required in schools and colleges and universities, in hospitals, in the Courts, in industries and companies; in fact, there is need for guideace end counselling in every work-place; there is pastoral counselling in the churches and athletes, footballers etc all need guidance as well as counselling, Guidance and Counselling, however, is relatively new in the Nigerian educational system, recognition was given to guidance, particulary, in introduction of Comprehensive High schools in Aiyetoro inthe then Westera Region and in Port Harcourt in the then Eastern Region, but there was no serious attention Biven to integrating counselling services and guidance system into the schools and colleges across the country. Even the reluctant start in the late 50's soon gave way to apathy, neglect and eventual abandonment of the services, In 1964, the Federal Ministry of Education created a guidance and ‘counselling unit within the Ministry and started encouraging the States to do likewine The not provide office space for counsellors under the excuse (though a very genuine one) that there are no enough space in the schools; students themselves stead wet Patronize counsellors, among other reasons, because they are ignorant of the roles of the counsellor, they are Suspicious of an acceptant, non-judgemental adult and “there is not time to see the. counsellor”. I put this in ‘quotes because even counsellors complained that there is no time on the time-table devoted to counselling. Thereexpected to be used in teaching a specific course, I commend the book to all beginners as an introductory text in Guidance and Counselling in the Nigerian educational system. Also, I recommend it to all Practitioners of Counselling in the field as well as general readers, PROFESSOR BABATUNDE IPAYE i National Open University of Nigerian (NOUN) Lagosur academic staff to team-teach final year Education students in the course, EDU 408. Having taught the course for five years, it isthe view of members of staff that there is need for a review. This review is necessary for the following reasons: (to correct all mistakes observed in the first edition; (ii) to beef up the content of the book and make it more comprehensive, There are new chapters on Learning Disabilities and Learning Problems in Schools, Elementary School Counselling, Marital and Family Counselling and Professionalisation of Counselling in Nigeria; and (it) to bring on board new lecturers inthe department. It gives me great pleasure to welcome Dr. (Mrs.) I. Q. Durosaro (Senior Lecturer), Dr. L. A. Yahaya (Lecturer D, Dr. A. O. Oniye (Lecturer Il) and Dr. (Mrs.) M. O. Esere to the “Guidance and Counselling Family”. . Tam sure readers who have critically looked at the contributor’s list would have noticed some change in status. I wish to specially congratulate Professor A.A. Adegoke (Head of Department) who has moved up from his former Senior lecturership position. Professors J.B, Asonibare and S. H. Umoh have also been clevated from their former ranks of Senior lecturers; Dr. (Mrs.) O. F. Akitpelu has been promoted to Senior lecturer from her former rank of Lecturer while Dr. E. A. Adeoye is now Senior lecturer from Lecturer I. Thope together we will all keep the flag of the department flying gracefully. Let me not forget to mention that our academic father, Professor Babatunde Ipaye wrote the Foreword of the fist edition, while he was on national assignitent at Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo as Provost. On completion of his tenure, hehad a stint at the National Universities Commission (NUC) as Director of Research and Postgraduate Development before returning to the department in June, 2001. 1 am pleased to inform our readers that Professor Ipaye has since retired from the services of the University of Horin. Retired but not tired, he has found himself a Place at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) where he is still contributing meaningfully to the counselling movement. We wish him well in retirement and in his new assignment. Trecommend this book to all scholars, researchers, practitioners and general interest readers of Guidance and Counselling. Ifyou find the book useful, please tell others; if however, you feel otherwise, please do not hesitate to let us know. We are willing to learn. PROFESSOR ADEYEMI LIDOWU Editor vii esPREFACE When the Faculty of Education Was created in 1976 as one of the three foundation faculties of the University of Iorin, little was known of the discipline slow pace of achievements of the department. Realizing this fact and wanting to zicet the challenges of counselling proper, the academic Staff of the department met and decided to bring back the sweet memories of yester years by blazing the trail in book production. Essentially this isthe sole motivation for the production of this book. One of the core courses in the Faculty of Education, University of Horin isCHAPTER FOURTEEN PLACEMENT AND FOLLOW-UP PROGRAMMES IN SCHOOLS By: Dr. Joshua A. Omotosho Introduction Any plan for the employment of a worker is premised on the principle of matching people to jobs for which they are suited by virtue of their education, aptitude, skills, experience, and physical abilities. For those entering higher education, the principle is still the same. In many instances, in the case of those : opting for work, McGowan and Porter (1976) have observed that employers use r-miss methods of selection, depending upon a casual visual survey of his/her ! education and job experience. While many employees selected on the basis of such criteria do work out satisfactorily, there are misfits, poor producers, and dissatisfied employees as a result of such random selection. In the same vein, many of those who are selected into higher education courses get selected principally on the basis of only one or two criteria — academic ; excellence and/or interest at the former (lower) institution. Many of them do well ; in their academic pursuits at the higher level of studies alright, but some (an embarrassingly large proportion of them), like their working counterparts, become > misfits, dull and ungovernable students. How does such a drastic change take place : in those who had so much promise at the lower educational level? What factors are Tesponsible? No educational institution worth its salt will it idly by, merely playing a hit-or-miss game in the matter of advertising its finished products (the former students) to the market of the world of work or of | higher education. First, a good institution that cares about its name will want to put the appropriate machinery in motion for ensuring that its products ~ the graduates or former students ~ either secure good jobs or enter reputable institutions of higher Teaming. Such a process is termed Placement. However, it should not stop with that. Rather, and secondly, it will want to assess the level of success it achieved in the performance of that first function by ascertaining to what extent the educational , experiences of former students have been related to their placement experiences. 250Placement and Follow-up Programmes in Schools Such a process, in this case, is termed Follow-up. The rest of this chapter is devoted to a more detailed study of Placement and Follow-up programmes. ‘The Concepts of Placement and Follow-up Herr and Cramer (1979) see placement as a method designed for “facilitating Student entry into jobs or post-secondary educational opportunities” (p.204). Fitzgerald, Johnson and Norris (1970) describe placement as one of the important “final” services provided for students leaving an institution, According to them, “the placement service represents one of the most significant and, at times, least understood and appreciated functions ofthe student personnel programme”. (p.245). In their own contribution, Shertzer and Stone (1981) define placement as the selective assignment of a person‘to a position. According to them, it involves both in-school (Curriculum, subjects, school activities) and out-of-school (parttime and full-time work) activities. Shertzer and Stone contend further that @ secondary school’s Placement programme must be student-oriented, or conducted in the interest of the students rather than being institution-oriented. Good placement, they say, results in Pportunities forthe individual to develop and achieve consonant with objectives, ‘While graduation is the goal of most college students, the Missouri Valley College (2003) sees the goal of its Career Planning and Placement Office as getting the student “thinking about the day AFTER graduation”. Follow-up, on the other hand, is the Procedure conducted to determine whether individuals are developing in their placement. Further, Shertzer and Stone (1981) see it as an integral part of placement. Their: ‘argument for this assertion is the fact that follow-up is a natural outgrowth of the career planning and placement Processes, The follow-up process helps the student both to understand ‘what is required in the work situation where placement has ‘placed’ him, and to evaluate Personal development within the situation with regard to short and long-range objectives. Need for Placement Makinde and Alao (1987) have called attention to the fact that the nature of Nigeria’s school curricular provisions in the National Policy on Education 2516 ov iets *“Placenient anid Follow-up Programmes in Schools t necessarily calls for virile: placéietit setviées as ‘an’ integral part of Six school “-guidarice practice. They argued further to:make a caée for the'need for placement in our educational system thus: sus The increase in choite “poitits ii out“éduicaiiciial ‘system coupled with the’ diversification f school ‘curricular provisions ‘dléng’career-relatéd lines?" ° ‘-necessatily ‘eriphinsizé the ‘need for educational ‘and — ° job placements. (p.96) ’ aa ie 2 Addressing the same isu iich earliét, Sherizerand Stone'(1981) pointed “to the fact that variety of social, economic; educational, ‘and ‘Vocational ‘factors underscore the'ctitical ‘need for what’they called “pupil ‘planning: placemeiit:-and “follow sip”: They held the view that ai increasingly coinple society demands of “the individual w continuous provéss of lifelofig learning, platining, atid assesément. “They then Werit firthet to-cite some factors that plaée in bold rel F the necessity for * a(carefully operated programme of planing, placement, ard Pollo w-up! These inclide othe following: “1” “Accelerated increase it Knowledge; 2. "Lack of educational opportunity; 3. Culturally disadvantaged youth;: ‘ 427° Changing role of wornent |? oo : ‘= Labour power changes; ° 7» so ~Automation; and” ciety unde threat. (pp. 379-383) Makinde aiid ‘Alao (1987) pointed to the need for placement ‘and “hat it bé made’a compoiient part of thé Nigetian school guidance” programme. “Accordingly, placement services should: 7 (@) assist students in getting appropriate placements on instruction or training scheme in consonance with thai ‘scand interests; nee ee (b) “assist students ‘in getty Vacation jobs relevint tO their traitiing'ot stigol experience; andPlacement and Follow-up Programmes in Schools (©) assist students at each terminal point of the educational system to take up permanent appointment taking into consideration their personal characteristics (pp.96-97). Crawford (1976) has indicated that at the secondary school level, one must consider at least five goals for placement. These goals are: (1) placing graduates in full-time or part-time jobs; @) placing dropouts; @) placing present students in part-time jobs; (4) coordinating preplacement training; and (5) advising students of occupational opportunities available through continuing education. Whether or not one accepts Crawford’s goals, their implications for who should be responsible for placement in terms of coordination or collaboration, what resources are needed, and what the content of placement should be are all significant issues. Responsibilities for Placement While placement is clearly a part of career guidance, should counsellors take the total responsibility for placement, or should they serve to coordinate a variety of placement activities? Where should the location of placement centre be? These are some of the bugging questions for which one correct answer will be difficult to find, for, as Herr and Cramer (1979) have observed, it depends really on school resource commitments, structures and other concomitant issues. Their additional opinion is that whether or not counsellors should assume total responsibility for placement, they must consider it a significant part of their responsibilities. Furthermore, the matter of the existence of a placement centre is dependent ‘on school structures and resources. In many instances, placement centres have been included as part of career resources centre, which was referred to in the chapter, titled “Career Guidance and Students’ Choite of Subject”. In such a case, placement information can be integrated with other materials assembled under career guidance. Gysbers, Moore, Magnuson, Peters and Sturgis (1973) have outlined the responsibilities of a specialized staff member who can act as coordinator of Placement services. These responsibilities are summarized thus: 253Placement and Follow-up Programmes in Schools Conduct staff development sessions for the counsellors. Solicit and maintain support of administration and instructional staff Inform local employers of the establishment of the placement centre. Plan and conduct a well-organised public information programme to keep eeye Stas a career days, work tours, parent days, and job preparation and entry clinics. 6. Organize and initiate follow-up activity. 7. Assist counsellors in developing a system of job order forms,referral cards, reply cards, and evaluation form for employers (pp.75- 78). Such an outline implies: a) some aspects of programme content, b) the programme’s outreach dimension, and c) the need for collaboration between career; ‘guidance personnel, other. ‘educators. and community representatives. Placement Activities ‘ According to Shertzer and Stone (1981), placement is both in-school and cut of-school. This means that students as well as those who assist them must understand students’ interests, abilities, and plans and be familiar with the opportunities available to them. In practical terms, both the students and those who assist them must be able to relate placement opportunities to their Projected life Soals, Without placement services, students may enter whatever activities exis: ‘without considering the cost in relation to eventual goals. *) In-School Placement: This consists of helping students to select an appropriate curriculum, the subjects within a curriculum, extra-curricular activities, special groupings or special classes, etc. In Nigeria, JS Ill marks {he transition from following a single prescribed curriculum to placement in one of several alternative curricula. Placement within a curriculum of say arts, science or commercial at JS III is extremely important because of it, Eventual influence on careers, particularly for those occupations requiring a university education,Placement and Follow-up Programmes in Schools In-School placement should also be concemed with placing students in school activities that will aid their development as individuals. Placement in such activities helps youth to meet their needs for social development, civic participation, and personal growth. Ithelps them to select activities that contribute to their development in line with their interests, and helps them engage in more activities or in fewer, as the case may be. Lastly, Shertzer and Stone (1981) have noted that in-school placement helps students to select the special classes that are suitable for them. Such placement. service helps students avoid tendencies to elect classes or it helps those with limited academic ability to deal with over-ambitious parents who wish to force their children to choose subject combinations leading to careers for which those students have not got the requisite intellectual ability. Examples are Engineering, Medicine, etc. b) —_ Out-of-School Placement: This should include assisting youth to secure part-time and long vacation employment, full-time employment after graduation from senior secondary school, and placement in tertiary institutions. It can also provide placement service for those who may wish to terminate their academic work at this level. It is necessary for a school to provide placement service for its students rather than rely on the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Productivity. Such Programmes, according to Rosenblatt, Bonnington and Needles (1977) should have a procedure to follow when providing placement services that students need, According to them, the usual procedure requires that the student fil out a standardized registration form. This form asks for the student's personal data, educational qualifications, clubs and social groups that the student belongs to, extra-curricular activities, work experience, hobbies, and special skills. The placement office, according to Rosenblatt et al (1977), should keep a permanent file for each student. It should be able to send out to prospective employers lists of current graduates or even copies of individual files in helping to locate a Position for its clients. It should liaise between prospective employers or tertiary institutions and students so as to notify the latter about vacancies that open up. Strategy for Establishing a School-based Placement Programme Cheek (1987) has outlined a strategy for establishing a school-based job placement programme. The strategy consists of five steps which are listed hereunder: 255Placement and Follow-up Programmes in Schools Step 1: Contacting the School Administrators. Step 2: Creating Awareness (among staff, students and the community). Step 3: Determining the potential Impact of the Programme (through a Committee). Step 4: Developing a School-Based Job Placement Programme and Gaining Acceptance. Step 5: Continuing the Job Placement Programme Once Initiated (pp.246-250). Brown and Feit (1977) have also conceptualized job placement as a fivefold Process. The process is modified as shown below to fit the Nigéria situation. 1.0 Survey students? placement needs: 1.1 Determine students to be surveyed 12 Prepare Surveys 13 Collect information about student’s skills and job aspirations. 1.4 Classify information by industry or other system 1.5 Collate and file information. 2.0 Survey of Job Opportunities: 2.1 Determine available information by contacting employment agencies, vocational rehabilitation, social work, etc. 2.2 Identify other needed information 2.3 Organize survey team 23.1 Get volunteers 2.3.2 Determine sources of information 2.3.3. Decide on strategies and distribute them 2.4 Prepare questionnaires for job survey 25 Collate material 3.0 Pre-Referral assessment and training: 3.1 Assess skills in completing job applications 3.2 Assess ability to draft a resume (summary/sketch of experiences submitted with the job application). 3.3. Assess job interviewing skills 3.4 Development training programmes to remediate. 4.0 Referral to employers (either directly or through employment agency): 4.1 Design method of disseminating information 42 Design follow-up of referral 256Placement and Follow-up Programmes in Schools 5.0 Placement follow-up: 5.1 Design devices to determine success of placement 5.2 Design and conduct refresher courses on job hunting, interviewing. 5.3 Design and conduct worker adjustment seminars 5.4 Referral to employment agency for job placement. Any of the two strategies of placement programmes outlined above can be modified further to fit the peculiar conditions of any Nigerian school. In addition, the two programmes can be built to suit a school by integrating relevant elements of both into a single programme. The choices made will depend to a large extent on the needs of the students, the level of support from school administrators, the structures on ground, the employment outlook, etc. Need for Follow-up Nelson (1964) argued that the many useful areas of work in educational institutions where the follow-up study had value should cause the studies to be more prevalent than they were at that time. Omotosho (1995) argued that follow-up studies of former students are efficient ways which educational institutions can use for measuring the effects of schooling. However, in a study he conducted among lecturers in three tertiary institutions in Hlorin, he found that a large proportion of his sample ~ four in every five persons — had little or no knowledge of follow-up studies (Omotosho, 1993, p.22). This finding shows that work in this area has been largely neglected in Nigeria. - ‘The above finding corroborates the observation of Makinde and Alao (1987) who recommended, inter alia, that “Nigerian school guidance programmes should seek to render follow-up services”. Such services could, among other things, cater for the following: a) Maintain contacts with school leavers (both dropouts and graduates) and assist in their after-school adjustment. b) Monitor individual adjustment and achievement of former students for the primary purpose of evaluating and improving the guidance programme. ©) _Use information and data accruing from follow-up services for the possible revision or enlargement of the educational programme of the school (Makinde & Alao, 1987, p.97).. 257Placement and Follow-up Programmes in Schools Omotosho (1984/85) reviewed the literature on follow-up studies and found that follow-up studies depend heavily on the perceptions of the former students themselves and so such studies could solicit and obtain data and information that could be used to improve the quality of teaching and policy decision-making. He then listed important data and information that could be obtained from such studies: : Graduates’ assessment of curricular relevancy; Employers’ job performance assessments; Determination of dominant job activity characteristics; Job satisfaction ratings of former students and graduates; Continuing education characteristics of former students and graduates; Determination of job-geographic mobility characteristics of graduates; and 7. Determination of other demographic characteristics needed for long- term policy-making. The instrument for obtaining follow-up data can elicit useful data if the questions are coined around the following issues/experiences of ee 2. 3. 4. 5. former students: 1) What the current employment and/or educational status of the student is; 2) _ Whether or not the original programme objectives and related instruction were relevant for job performance; 3) How the former learner values his/her previous preparation for employment and/or further education; 4) The extent to which the supportive services received aid/help the student in making the transition from school to work; and 5) The additional services, if any, that appear to be needed to help the former student function on his/her job. Aim and Objectives of Follow-up Studies Miller (1961) summarized the general objectives of follow-up studies into six categories: 1) curriculum revision, 2) improvement of the guidance programme, 258Placement and Follow-up Programmes in Schools 3) identification of graduates and dropouts in further need of help, 4) intensive study of a special group of students, 5) obtaining information that will be helpful to students, and ©) obtaining information that will be useful to staff in gaining a better understanding of their students. In another study to determine practices and opinions related to follow-up studies by public junior colleges in the United States of America, Deem (1969) found that the five primiary purposes for conducting follow-up studies should be to evaluate and to improve: a) the institution’s performance of stated objectives, >) curricula, ©) courses and content, 4) counselling and guidance services, and e) instruction. Back here in Nigeria, Omotosho (1993) asked 137 respondents of a questionnaire survey to indicate their ratings of certain follow-up objectives. The results revealed the following ratings in rank order: Ist: To obtain information that will be helpful to present students (34.4%). 2nd: To evaluate and improve counselling and guidance services (29.2%) 3rd: To measure the effects of school experiences on alumni (19.0%). 4th: To identify graduates and dropouts in further need of help (13.9%) and ‘Sth: To obtain information for curriculum revision (3.6%). (p.22). The objectives for a school’s follow-up programunie can be constructed from a careful study and combinations of those of Miller (1961), Deem (1969) and Omotosho (1993). Such objectives must be in consonance with whatever educational goals the schoo! has set for itself, the funds available, as well as other considerations that are of practical importance to the particular school. Follow-up Activities No set pattern can be suggested for making follow-up studies. Much depends upon the objectives, scope, sponsors, and availability of adequate funds. Some procedures, however, have been found to be common procedures of operation which 259Placement and Follow-up Programmes in Schools can be varied to meet local needs, Omotosho (1984/85) from a review of the literature came up with the following outline of activities in conducting follow-up studies: 1, Preliminary Activities; Determining Sponsorship and Leadership; Deterntining the Purposes of the Follow-up Survey; Determining the Techniques and Scope; Determining the Work Schedule; Preparing Forms; Compiling the Master List of Respondents, Introducing the Survey; Collecting Data; 10. Tabulating and Interpreting Data; 11, Preparing the Report; and 12, Using the Results. ‘h cursory glance at thelist given above indicates that follow-up studies require a {ong period of preparation. In fact, the activities should start long before students leave school. Also, since follow-ups are meant to be continuous processes there is need to intimate every class of students with this fact and to prepare their minds for it In that way too a good human relationship work would have begun between the school and prospective school leavers even before they graduate. This will have the ‘additional advantage of enhancing participation whenever the programme begins, PEN AwALYD Data-Gathering Methods in Follow-up Studies A perusal ofthe literature on follow-up studies shows that there is no standard method for collecting follow-up data, Franchak and Spirer (1978) have, infact, said that several methods have been used successfully for collecting the date and information. They have listed the following: 1, Mailed questionnaire; 2. Telephone interviews; 3. Personal interviews; and 4. Combinations of the above. According to Traxler and North (1966), the two main procedures in gathering information in follow-up studies are questionnaire and interviews, 260Placement and Follow-up Programmes in Schools In spite of the popularity of both the questionnaire and the interview as data- gathering methods in follow-up studies, their limitations have been constantly highlighted, Traxler and North (1966), for instance, said: It is not uncommon to find in the literature of follow- up studies in which less than half of those to whom questionnaires were sent replied. Interviews are time- consuming and costly and are seldom practicable in the case of individuals who have left the community. (293) A consideration of the views of authors cited above will show the following Positive factors for the questionnaire which has led to its greater patronage than any other method of gathering follow-up data: standardization, convenience, greater coverage and lower costs. Its negative factors seem to be low response rates, Uunrepresentative return, misinterpretation, and impersonal nature, Problems of Follow-up Studies Powers (1956) got the following ranking of deterrents to the establishment of follow-up programmes in teacher education colleges in the United States of America which he surveyed: Lack of financial support; Lack of adequate staff; Geographical spread of teacher placement made it too difficult; The value of follow-up did not warrant a shift of Faculty to such an assignment; and 5. Need for further evaluation of the present programme practices to justify the expenditure of time, money and personne! involved in such a procedure. A summary of the findings of Franchak and Spirer (1978) regarding major Concems and problem areas in planning, conducting and using follow-up studies is as follows: 1. There was a lack of understanding of why follow-up studies were conducted; aeN 261Placement and Follow-up Programmes in Schools 2 There was a lack of communication of objectives and procedures for doing follow-up; 3 There was a lack of clear definitions which were crucial for collecting reliable and valid follow-up data; and 4. There was the inability or unwillingness of people to use follow-up data in decision-making, programme planning and development, and evaluation. One may ald tothe above list of problems the fact that in Nigeria in prtcula, Nini fe follow him/her up; the poor mailing and telephone system; the apathy of Nigerians in general towards research work as a whole; the pervasive influence of Parents/ guardians/significant others, etc. in the career choices of the youth, the influence of the mass media; the Kaleidoscopic nature of political, economic, educational changes etc. These all point to the fact that follow-up studies need to be Spproached with caution and adequate preparation so thatthe size of the problems does not continue to-prevent schools from embarking upon it, Conclusion Nigeria's educational system. The little that: ‘government is able to invest in education Placement and follow-up will go a long way to provide a more precise and relevent information for such use and for accountability needs that our growing economic crunch is placing on secondary schools all over the country. One’s hope is that as school administrators, ministry of education officials, school counsellors, teachers and paren read the material presented inthis chapter they will feel concerned enough to begin to act and put the necessary machinery in place to cater for these twin. service areas of our educational system. If they can blaze the tail in that way, it may Probably be part of the contribution they will make to the realization of our hope that one day the falling standards of our education will begin to rise. 262 :Placement and Follow-up Programmes in Schools References 1 Brown, D. & Felt, S.S. (1977). Making job placement work. Vocational Guidance Quarterly, 26, 176-183. Cheek, J.G. (1977). A strategy for establishing a school-based job placement programme. In H.J. Peters & J.C. Hansen (Bds.) Vocational guidance and career development: Selected readings (3 ed.). New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. Crawford, L. (1976). Imperatives regarding placement services in secondary schools, In. T.H. Hohenshil (Ed.), New Dimensions in Placement Services. Blacksburg, Virginia: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Fitzgerald, L-E., Johnson, W.F. & Norris, W. (Eds.) (1970). College student personnel: Readings and bibliographies. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. sires, Franchak, S.J. & Speier, LE, (1978), Evaluation handbook, Vol.1: Guidelines and practices for follow-up studies of former vocational education students, Chiney: Easter Washington University. Gysbers, N., Moore, E.J., Magnuson, C., Peters; Z.C., & Sturgis, B. (1973). Elements of an illustrative guide, career guidance, counselling and placement for staff department of education. Columbia, Missouri: University of Missouri. Herr, EL. & Cramer, S.H. (1979). Career guidance through the lifespan: Systematic approaches. Boston: Little, Brown & Company. Makinde, O. & Alao, K., (1978). Profile of career education. Ibadan Signal Educational Services Ltd. McGowan, J.F. & Porter, TL. (1976). An introduction to the vocational rehabilitation process. Washington, D.C.: US Government Printing Office. Miller, F.W. (1960). Guidance principles and services. Columbus: Charles 263Placement and Follow-up Programmes in Schools E. Merrill Books, Inc. Missouri Valley College. (2003) Career planning and placement. Retrieved March 29, 2004, from Web site: file://A:Missouri Valley College Offices. Career Planning & Placement.htm. National Policy on Education (rev.) (1981). Lagos: Federal Ministry of Information. : Nelson, J.L, (1964). Follow-up study of graduates. Improving College and University Teaching. 12 (2), 111. Omotosho, J.4. (1985). A needs assessment follow-up study of the former students of the Guidance, Counselling and Student Personnel Programme at Ohio University who graduated between August 1977 and June 1982. (octoral Dissertation, Ohio University, 1984). 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Monterey, C.A.: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. 264Placement and Follow-up Programmes in Schools Selected Questions for Practice What do you understand by the terms (@) “Placement”, and (>) “Follow-up” as used in the educational system? Discuss why you feel there is (or there is not) a need for (@) Placement, (b) Follow-up, in Nigeria’s educational system at the secondary school level. ‘Which persons in secondary schools should responsibilities for job and educational placements? Which responsit ies? Design a Placement programme for Myown Grammar School (MGS) situated in Myown village, 80km from the state capital. (MGS has two arms each from J.S. 1 to $.S. Ill and each arm has approximately 35 male and female students). What activities would you, as a school counsellor, include in: (a) In-School Placement, and (®) — Out-of-School Placement? ‘What major aims and objectives should a follow-up study of former students of a secondary school have so as to make the data so collected relevant to all concemed? 265