Guidance and Counselling in the Universal Basic Education Scheme in Nigeria: relevance and challenges

Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme is a relatively new policy agenda in Nigeria. The adoption of this programme has set the pace for an improved educational system. The successful implementation of the policy agenda, however, depends on a number of factors. One of such factors is the human resource required for its successful implementation. Quite a number of personnel has significant and diverse roles to play. The guidance counsellor whose role is to provide indispensable guidance services is the primary focus of this paper. The paper justifies the relevance of guidance services to the UBE scheme and also isolates a number of challenges facing the guidance counsellor in the process of contributing to the successful implementation of UBE proramme. The paper, in conclusion, recommended among others that guidance and counselling curricula at the university level should incorporate acquisition of skills and techniques of counselling children