The Role of the Counsellor in Dealing with Factors Leading to Secondary School Attrition in Cameroon.
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Date
1984-06-20
Authors
Satia, N.P
Journal Title
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Publisher
University of Lagos
Abstract
This study is an attempt to verify the extent of student attrition in secondary schools in Cameroon; and to identify the possible reasons that deter young people from continuing their studies. The study also examines differences in attrition tendencies due to sex, the social status of students' parents the location of schools, institutional climate, as well as the effect of counselling on the attrition tendencies and academic performance of pre-identified exit-prone students. Subjects used in this study were, 5 principals, 92 teachers and 600 students of five state managed secondary schools. In all, seven hypotheses were tested. The sample size-varied with the hypotheses tested but in all cases participation by the subjects was voluntary. Two validated questionnaires and five questionnaires developed by the researcher, as well as the eclectic counselling approach with behavioural bias were the instruments and techniques used to test the seven hypotheses verified in this study. The result of the study shows that: The rate of attrition in secondary schools in Cameroon is high. Slightly over one-half (55 percent) of a given student cohort persists in school to graduate. This phenomenon is due to several factors of which the most important are: Financial problems, poor school climate, teacher-student conflicts or poor relationship between teachers and students, academic incapacity, and the low social status of the students' parents. Attrition tendencies are sex and social status related. Significantly more girls than boys drop out of school, and children whose parents are of the low socio-economic background drop out of school more than children with parents of a high socio-economic background. The location of an Urban or rural environment does not seem to have any significant bearing on attribution rates. Counselling is an effective tool in combating attrition. Counselling also help significantly in improving the academic performance of pre-identified exit-prone students. The academic scores were significantly higher and the attrition rates significantly lower among students who received counselling over a six month period than among similar students who did not. Students in secondary schools in Cameroon exhibit a high degree of normlessness, that is, the believe that socially unapproved behaviours are required to achieve school goals. The technically most effective course of action, legitimate or not, becomes preferred to formally prescribed conduct of the school. These results bear implications on fighting a social menace in Cameroon. With effective and in-depth studies coupled with a continuing analysis of available data, energies can be directed towards preventing students, that is anyone who desires to be a student, from dropping out of school. Futhermore, more exit-prone students could be salvaged if discipline masters and other staff posted to secondary schools received training in guidance counselling, and if counselling services are made available to a larger number of Cameroonian students.
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Keywords
Institutional Climate , Counsellor
Citation
Satia, N.P (1984) The Role of the Counsellor in Dealing with Factors Leading to Secondary School Attrition in Cameroon. University of Lagos School of Postgraduate Studies Phd Thesis and Dissertation Abstracts.226pp.