Principle of Guidance

Guidance is to help one to adjust to abilities, interests, and needs of the society. In other words it
means helping a person to develop in the desired direction and to orient him/herself according to the
needs and demands of changing times and society. Thus, the purpose of guidance is to improve the
capability of the individual to understand and deal with self-situational relation for greater personal
satisfaction and social usefulness which includes students, teachers, parents etc.

Principle of Guidance are as follows

1. Principle of Continuity: Guidance is a continuous process. Guidance is provided to every

individual at any stage in the process of life cycle. It may start from childhood and continues
till death. Guidance is not a service which begins and terminates at specified time or place. It
is continuous process.
2. Principles of Individualisation: Guidance lays emphasis on individualisation. It emphasizes
freedom to each individual to shape his/her personality and he/she should be guided
whenever the need arises. Proper organisation of guidance services is very essential for
individualising the education at different levels so that each individual develops his/her
abilities, interests and aptitudes in unique ways.
3. Principle of Self-direction: Guidance gives importance to self-direction. The main idea of
Guidance is to develop the individual so that she/he no longer finds it necessary to seek
guidance. Guidance makes the individual better adjusted to his environment and leads him
to self-direction.
4. Principle of Co-operation: Guidance is based on co-operation. Guidance depends on mutual
co-operation of individuals. No one can be forced to seek or offer guidance.
5. Principle of Universality: Guidance is provided to everyone who needs it. The basic
principle of guidance is that it should not be restricted to the privilege few.
6. Principle of Organised Activity: Guidance is an organised activity. Guidance is not an
incidental activity. It has a definite purpose to achieve. It is a systematic and well-organised
activity.
7. Principle of Individual Differences: Guidance gives respect to individual differences. No
two individuals are alike. Guidance understands these individual differences among students
and is concerned with the uniqueness of needs, problems and developmental characteristics
of individuals.
8. Individual Evaluation: Programmes of individual evaluation are conducted and accurate
cumulative records of progress and achievement are made available for the guidance of
workers.
9. Guidance is Flexible: Another principle of guidance is flexibility. An organised level
guidance programme remains flexible according to individual and community needs.
10. Interrelated Activity: Guidance is an interrelated activity. Effective guidance needs complete
information about the individual because it is difficult to see any problem in isolation
without co-relating it with the total programme. For example, educational, vocational and
personal and social, guidance are interrelated but could be distinguished as different aspects
of the total guidance programme.
References

Borrow, H. (1983). Career Guidance for new age. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Egbo, A. C. (2013). The Role of Guidance and Counselling in Effective Teaching and
Learning in Schools: The Nigerian Perspective. The European Conference on Education,
Official Conference Proceeding 0392. Retrieved from http://iafor.org/archives/offprints/ece2013
offprints/ECE2013_0392.pdf.

Gysbers, N. C. (2006). Developing and managing your school guidance program.

Washington, DC: American Counseling Association.

Gysbers, N. C., & Henderson, P. (1994). Developing and managing your school guidance
program. Alexandria, V. A.: American Counselling Association.

Mutie, E. K., & Ndambuki, P. (2000). Guidance and counselling for secondary school and
colleges. Nairobi: Oxford University Press.