PhD Viva Voce

Qualifications Attained:

Prosper Joseph Tarimo is an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Psychology and Curriculum Studies of the University of Dodoma. He teaches psychology courses with special interest in social psychology, research and counselling related courses. He holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Social Psychology and a Post-graduate Diploma in Education of the University of Dar es Salaam. He also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy of the Pontifical University. He has accumulated teaching experience from various levels of education starting as a secondary school teacher, a tutor in a teacher education college and an assistant lecturer at the University. He is currently a PhD in education (coursework) candidate in the School of Education of the University of Dar es Salaam.

Abstract:

Guidance and counselling services have become part of the education systems in both developing and developed countries. The services are thought to play crucial part in making educational institutions more responsive in addressing learners’ psychological and academic needs. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of guidance and counselling intervention programme on the secondary school students’ self-efficacy, self-esteem and academic performance in Tanzania. The study was motivated by the zeal to find empirical evidence on whether the provision of guidance and counselling programme at the classroom level may help improve secondary school students’ psychological functioning in the areas of academic self-efficacy, general self-efficacy and self-esteem, and academic performance in Tanzanian context. The study had four objectives, namely, to : (i) determine the effect of  the classroom guidance and counselling intervention programme on the secondary school students’ academic self-efficacy, (ii) determine the effect of  the classroom guidance and counselling intervention programme on the secondary school students’ general self-efficacy, (iii) examine the effect of the classroom guidance and counselling intervention programme on the secondary school students’ self-esteem and  (iv) examine the effect of the classroom guidance and counselling intervention programme on the secondary school students’ academic performance. The study employed a quantitative research approach through a quasi-experimental design to study a self-select sample of 422 students from four secondary schools in Dodoma City Council. Data were collected using self-report rating scales to tap students’ academic self-efficacy, general self-efficacy and self-esteem. Students’ academic performance were taped by paired questions tests. The findings from difference-in-differences revealed that classroom guidance and counselling programme implemented in the experimental group had positive significant effects on students’ self-efficacy (both academic and general self-efficacy), self-esteem and the academic performance in the tested subjects of Kiswahili and Mathematics. The study concludes that guidance and counselling programme is effective when implemented at the classroom level. The study recommends a need to formalize guidance and counselling programme at the classroom level.