Provision of counselling services to pupils: an assessment of determinants in selected private secondary schools in Lusaka district, Zambia.
The aim of this study was to establish the determinants of provision of counselling services in selected private secondary school in Lusaka. The study used a descriptive design in order to have qualitative and qualitative data. The sample size was 156 participants. Of these, were four Head teachers, 32 teachers (8 from each school), and 120 pupils (30 from each school). Since the study was guided by a descriptive survey design, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to determine the sample size. Thus the number 4 for head teachers was chosen based on the fact that each of the four schools chosen had one head teacher. The choice of the number 32 for the teachers was arrived at using the qualitative method of determining sample size. The sample size 32 for teachers consisted of eight teachers from each school. The number eight was chosen based on the qualitative law of saturation of data which states that data saturation can be reached at eighth interval. The sample of 120 pupils consisted of 30 pupils from each of the four schools. The number 30 was determined by the quantitative principle of representativeness and was adequate as it was more than 10% of the number for the grade twelve pupils in each of the private schools sampled. Questionnaires were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data from the pupils. Interview guides were used to collect data from teachers and head teachers. Qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis while quantitative data was analysed using excel in order to obtain frequency distributions and percentages. The findings of the study were that problems that pupils had were need for improved academic performance, pupil misconduct, sexual relationships and need for good behaviour necessitated the provision of the counselling services in their schools. Based on the findings, it was recommended that: 1. The Head teachers of private schools establish needs assessment to help them determine provision of counselling services to pupils in their schools. 2. The school management to have Guidance teachers in order to implement the role of guidance and counselling to improve on pupil academic performance. 3. The school administrators to establish peer groups to allow pupils who misconduct themselves to join in order to improve pupil’s wellbeing. 4. The Head teachers to establish rehabilitation centres in order to help pupils achieve their personal goals by use of various interventions.
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