UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS’ CONCERNS AND GENDER PREFERENCES FOR COUNSELLORS

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
In realization of the social, economic and psychological challenges facing learners at various levels of learning, there is need for them to be properly initiated into and guided through the education system. The guidance and counseling program assists students to develop their full personality and career potential. However, the program faces the threat of lack of demand and utilization of services which has been attributed to lack of awareness by the students; poor communication between the program and students; and students negative perception and attitude towards the importance and role of the program, among others.
Guidance is often seen as a kind of direction or leadership offered an individual to assist him or her to makes decisions about his or her present and future life. Counseling on the other hand is seen as a psychological process of helping an individual to be equipped with self-understanding and skills of problem solving of everyday life in the society, home and school. 
According to Okobiah and Okorodudu (2004) guidance is a programme of activities which has provided us with the gateway out of the existing numerous problems in our present age of complex scientific and technological development. Essuman (2010) maintains that guidance and counselling should form an