Provision of Counselling Services in Handling Psychosocial Challenges Among Students in Secondary Schools in Tanzania: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Secondary education represents a pivotal period in the lives of students, marked by academic pursuits, social interactions, and personal development. However, the transitional nature of adolescence can introduce a host of psychosocial challenges that, if unaddressed, may impede students' overall well-being and hinder their academic success. In the context of Tanzanian secondary schools, where the educational landscape is diverse and dynamic, understanding and effectively managing these psychosocial challenges has emerged as a critical imperative. The paper investigated the provision of counselling services in handling psychosocial challenges among students in secondary schools in Tanzania with a focus on challenges and opportunities. The participants involved students and school counsellors. Data were collected through focus group discussions and interviews. The results show that limited resources, high student-to-counsellor ratio, inadequate training and professional development among school counsellors, and the focus on academic guidance. Others include integration into educational and training policies, a holistic approach, capacity building and training, peer support programmes and collaboration with NGOs and Community-Based Organizations were the challenges and opportunities facing counselling services in handling psychosocial challenges among students in secondary schools in Tanzania. Therefore, this study recommends the conduction of regular needs assessments to understand the evolving psychosocial challenges faced by students. This information can guide the development of targeted intervention strategies and resource allocation.