The provision of guidance and counseling services in Tanzania fisheries educational training Agency centers

This study assessed guidance and counseling services offered in sampled Fisheries Educational Training Agency and Counseling service providers in training centers identify guidance and counseling services offered to students in colleges and examine the provision of educational guidance and counseling services in the centers. Further, the study explored on the aspect of gender differences in seeking guidance and counseling services among students. A case study research design was employed. Data were collected through questionnaires administered to 254 Certificate and Diploma students, interviews to 2 counselors and focus group discussions involving 6 academic advisors and 9 class teachers. Purposive and stratified random sampling techniques were used to select the respondents. The collected data were analyzed using content analysis and Special Package for Social Science (SPSS) computer software. Findings indicated that students were provided with guidance and counseling service in the areas of academic, personal, social, vocation and health. It was revealed that students’ involvement in guidance and counseling was somehow limited. Furthermore, provision of guidance and counseling services in FETA centers was negatively affected by lack of human and physical resources and training in guidance and counseling to the service providers. The study concludes that provision of vocational counseling services is central for helping students make realistic career goals, but its implementation in schools is limited by a number of factors. These include lack of guidance and counseling professionalism among teachers, lack of policy and proper physical resources. It is recommended that the FETA management has to establish clear policies that would strengthen guidance and counseling services so as to make them effective in enabling students to attain academic, social and personal competencies. It is recommended that similar studies be conducted in other non fisheries learning institutions in Tanzania.