The role of guidance and counselling officials in shaping lives of students has been emphasized by Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari in the way that they shape students’ personal image, self-esteem and career paths.
She made the statement during an event tagged “Conversation with Guidance and Counselling staff of FCT schools”, which was organized to mark the 2020 edition of the International Women’s Day, at the State House, Abuja on Wednesday, 11th March, 2020.
The First Lady spoke through the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo.
Mrs. Buhari said guidance counsellors also had a role to play in engendering a sense and spirit of peer fellowship among young people such that they looked out for each other, due to their vulnerability to many vices like gender-based violence, drug abuse and trafficking.
She pointed out that with that sense of camaraderie, many problems of young people could be contained.
“Let me therefore use this opportunity to remind you that you stand tall in this regard. You are spread all over our schools and colleges and have access to all our youths. Please use this opportunity to change the tide by impacting on our youth to stand for themselves and for each other in times of need,” she said.
She called on them to continue to counsel the younger generation on how to protect their rights and dignity by speaking out on issues that affect their lives.
Speaking on the theme of this year’s celebration, which is #EachforEqual, Mrs. Buhari said the IWD 2020 campaign theme was drawn from a notion of ‘Collective Individualism,’ inferring that “we are all parts of a whole, and that our individual actions, conversations, behaviours and mindsets can have an impact on our larger society.”
Mrs. Grace Chama, keynote speaker at the event, went through memory lane to recount how the family, teachers and the whole community worked together to bring up children.
She said the community saw children as assets and leaders of tomorrow who must be harnessed for the good of the community, unlike these days where parents “see children as theirs alone.”
She called on guidance counsellors to live up to their responsibility and find ways of addressing issues of the students, since as she said, counsellors were likely to be the first to notice change in their behaviour.
Secretary, FCT Universal Basic Education Board, Mrs. Nanre Umeje, spoke glowingly on the work of counsellors, who, she said attended to socio-personal issues of students, and orientate them when necessary.
She said their work was multi-faceted and covered issues beyond just career development.
She called on them to be steadfast in their responsibility.
Highlight of the event was a panel discussion, where feedback was generated from the practitioners on the challenges they face on their jobs and solutions proffered.
The event was attended by associates and senior aides of the First Lady, guidance and counselling officers in FCT schools.
