GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING EDUCATION FOR

ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN

NIGERIA
By
Abdulsalam Kehinde Musbau
08065766473
kehindemusbau85@gmail.com
Mrs. Subair, Bashirat Olanike
Department of Educational Psychology and
Counselling Kwara State College of Education, Oro.
Abstract
Education is universally recognised as the answer to social economic problem of the world.

Nations and individuals look up to education to produce a cure for poverty, ignorance, climate

change, mental deficiency, joblessness, hunger, poor governance and among others. In any

developing nation, like Nigeria, the importance of education to growth and development cannot be

over-emphasised. It is no wonder that successive governments have been very articulate in their

policies and programme in the past decades in the field of formal education. This paper therefore

discusses the concept of education, guidance and counselling, sustainable development goals and

its challenges, roles of guidance and counselling in achieving sustainable development goal. The

researchers relied on context analysis and used secondary data such as published and unpublished

materials like textbooks, journals, newspapers and internet materials to gather and analyse the

required data. Based on the findings, the researchers recommended among others that the

government should provide adequate fund to build and equip counselling clinics in schools,

communities', local government areas and states. There should be awareness campaign with

postals and counsellor's monetary committees to reach the states and local government areas.

There is need to employ young graduates in guidance and counselling to schools in the states and

local government areas.

Keywords: Education, Guidance and Counselling, Sustainable development goals

Introduction
The sustainable development goals is the term mostly used by international and the United Nations

(UN). Sustainable development means vision oppression, value change and moral development.

The World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) defines sustainable

development as development which meets the need of the present without compromising the ability

of future generations to meet their own needs. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were

formulated in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) as part of the post 2015

Development Agenda which sought to create a future global development framework to succeed

the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which ended that year (UNESCO, 2020). According

to Commission for International Adult Education (2017) stated that SDGs were formally articulated

and adopted in a UNGA resolution called the 2030 Agenda known colloquially as Agenda 2030.

On the July 2017, the SDGs were made more actionable by a UNGA resolution that identified

specific targets for each goals and provides indicators to measure progress and most of the targets

are to be achieved by 2030, although some have no end date (Lane, A 2017). On the 25th Sept.,

2015, the 193 countries of the UNC General Assembly (Nigeria Inclusive) adopted the 2030

development agenda titled Transforming our world: the 2030 agenda for sustainable development

"(Amponsah, 2018, SDGs 2020 & Krishnaratne, et al 2014).

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) also known as the Global Goals (CGs) which were

structured to end poverty, protect the environment and ensure that all people enjoy peace and

prosperity.

The goals 17 was fashioned out from the earlier Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and are

presented in the diagram below:

Summary of SDGs Targets

The summary of the SDGs are the following:

1. Universal plan and agenda to tackle some of the pressing challenges facing the world such

as poverty, climate change and conflict. Poverty is at the centre of all these goals.

2. Provide the expertise to drive progress and help support countries on the path to sustainable

development.

3. Build on the accelerated progress already achieved under the Millennium Development

Goals (MDGs).

Concept of Sustainable Development Goals

Education for all has been a popular slogan and has been given attention through different

international development courses ever since 1990. It was considered critical at the inception of the

Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) and tagged SDGs 4 (UNESCO 2020). According to (Lane,

2017) seen the education as a force for sustainable development, nation building, and peace.

Therefore, children and young people who gain certain skills such as reading, writing or counting

are more likely to have a better future than their peers who lack these skills. He also stated further,

that the role of education in ensuring sustainable development is not limited to developing regions

but the whole world at large (UNESCO 2019), identified that the aim of sustainable development

goals (SDGs) is to provide an inclusive and high quality education that will improve the learner's

standard of living and communities future and this aimed was achievable as progress were made

specifically at the primary school level whereby, there was increment in sub-saharah African

countries in completion rate from 49 percent in 2000 to 60 percent in 2006 (World Bank 2010).

However, during the implementation of the MDGs, the increment in school enrolment as at then did

not translate to improved educational outcome and across the world, there was limited access to the

internet which also adversely impacted students' ability to engage in learning opportunities (Unicef

2018). In another report by ritchie, Roser etal (2018), discovered a landmark achievement

specifically as global participation in tertiary education reached 224 millions which was equivalent

to a gross enrolment ratio of 38%.

Therefore, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has ten targets which are measured by 11

indicators. The seven outcome targets are:

1. Free primary and secondary education.

2. Equal access to quality pre-primary education.

3. Affordable technical, vocational and higher education.

4. Increased number of people with relevant skills for financial success.

5. Elimination of all discrimination in education.

6. Universal literacy and numeracy.

7. Education for sustainable development and global citizenship.

The three means of implementation target are: build and upgrade inclusive and safe schools,

expand higher education scholarship for developing countries and increase the supply of qualified

teachers in developing countries.

Sustainable Development Goals and its Challenges

1. The impact of Covid-19 pandemic: It was estimated that at least a third of the world’s

children do not have the technology they need to participate in remote learning during the covid-19

pandemic and resulted to wild spread school closure (Unicef 2020). The pandemic has also resulted

to an increase in educational inequalities with a completion rate of 79% for the well off and 34%

for the poor household. Therefore, there was projection that more than 200 million children will

still be out of education by 2030 (SDGs report 2020).

Other challenges are:

2. Too many goals and overall problem.

3. Trade-off not explicitly address.

4. Weak on environment sustainability

5. Ethical aspects

6. Difficulties with tracking qualitative indicators.

Nigeria and Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals

Nigeria is one of the countries to implement the sustainable development goals (SDGs) within the

thirty-six states and its Federal Capital Tertiary (FCT) and also one the countries that presented its

voluntary National Review (VNR) in 2017 and 2020 on the implementation of the SDGs at the

High-Level Political Forum on sustainable Development (HLPF) (Nigeria Guardian 2020).

According to SDGs Report (2020), Nigeria was ranked 160 on the 2020 world’s SDG index and the

government affirmed that Nigeria’s current development priorities and objective are focused on

achieving the SDGs. The Lagos SDGs youth alliance is another Pivotal for SDGs. Initiative in

Nigeria aimed at promoting involvement of youth in achieving the 2030 Agenda and supporting

long term sustainable development strategy of Lagos state.

The SDGs are blueprint of the world to experience peace and prosperity at the fullest by 2030.

According to agreement between Nigeria and United Nations, it aims to align the development

prosperities in partnership with CSO and private sector to achieved the SDGs together. Agenda

2030 is also designed to build a sustainable world around the five P’s namely: people, planet,

prosperity, peace and partnership which span across the 17 SDGs. The government and non-

governmental organizations and academic institutions are working towards these goals in Nigeria.

Concept of Education

In any developing nation, like Nigeria, the importance of education to growth and development

cannot be over emphasized. It is no wonder that successive governments have been very articulate

in their policies and programmes in the past decades in the field of formal education. The belief in

the efficiency of education as an indispensable instrument of development has led many countries

to devote their wealth to the development of educational institutions at all levels (Alabi, 2011).

According to Elujekwute (2019) stressed that Education is universally recognized as the answer to

social-economic problem of the world, Nations and individuals look up to education to provide a

cure for poverty, ignorance, climate change, mental deficiency, joblessness, hunger, inadequate

shelter, poor governance, poor communication system and among others. The important of
commodity by any standard to any community is knowledge which in general is called education,

which also the cornerstone for the sustainable development.

Etuk, Ering and Ajake (2012), defined education as a basic tool for achieving development at all

levels. They further stated that education is the process of acquiring new values and skills for the

purpose of effective functioning in the society. Ayodele (2007) affirmed that development cannot

take place in human society without education and conversely, no lasting peace and security can be

accomplished with development. Therefore, education is synonymous with the existence of human

society; the education of any society usually reflects its whole essence. This means that it

encapsulate its philosophy and way of life. The education of any society involves the transmission

of all knowledge that is deemed worthwhile.

Dienye (2011) seen education as the process by which an individual acquires the numerous

physical and social capabilities demanded by the society to which he/she has been born into. The

whole essence of education is to ensure the proper functioning and survival of an individual in his

society. Education enhances an individual’s ability to improve his society. Akpakwu (2012) in his

own opinion noted that education involves the deliberate efforts on the part of the educator in

developing the personality of the child and to prepare him for membership of his society. The point

here is that education has been an instrument for attaining the common goals of the people in given

communities. From time immemorial, education has a district purpose, a purpose that is

consciously designed and articulated.

Concept of Guidance and Counselling

There are several opinion as regard the definition of guidance. Guidance may be regarded as

information dissemination aimed at resolving problems or preventing difficult situation. Guidance

can be given by a professional who is trained in guidance and counseling to provide assistance to

individuals who need to resolve problems. Although, guidance could be given by any person with

more experience to another or group of persons who are less knowledgeable about their problems.

Oynemerekeya and Ugwuegbuium (2005), and Uzoeshi (2013), stated the layman view of guidance
to mean to direct, lead, guide, assist, pilot, inform, show, advice, help etc the activities of

individuals.

Professionally, guidance refers to educational services aimed at providing assistance to individual

students to enable them understand themselves, realize their assets and liabilities in terms of natural

endowment in order to make appropriate decisions as regards their educational, vocational and

personal-social matters. In another development, Denga in Petters (2011), defined guidance as a

cluster of formalized educational services aimed at assisting individual children to attain the fullest

self development and self realization of their potentials.

Counselling

The concepts counseling is a helping process between the counselor who is a train personnel, in-

charge to give assistance to a client or group of clients who needed to resolved personal or groups

problems and to cope adequately in the society. According to Ekechukwu (2014), defined

counseling as a process which takes place in a face-to-face relationship between an individual

troubled with problems which he cannot cope alone and a professional worker whose training and

experience have qualified him/her to help others reach solutions to various types of personal

difficulties. Durosaro and Adeoye (2010) stated that guidance and counseling is a process whereby

a person is helped in a one-to-one or face-to-face relationship while Agrawal (2006) explains

further that counseling as an enlightened process whereby people help others by encouraging their

growth. Counselling on the other hand is a process of assisting individuals or groups of people to

gain self understanding in other to be themselves. Counselling is a reflection of a professional

relationship between the trained counselor and a client. Counselling is a process designed to help

clients understand and clarify personal views of their life space and to learn to reach their self

determined goals through meaningful, well informed choice and a resolution of problems of an

emotional or interpersonal nature. It believes that every human individual has the potential for self

growth, self development and self actualization. Therefore, guidance and counseling encompassing
the full range of personalized assistance given to the individual seeking to expand his understand

of himself and his understanding of others.

Guidance and Counselling Programme as a tools for Sustainable Development Goals

There are three areas of guidance and counseling programme: educational, vocational, and personal

social issues.

1. Educational Guidance Programme: This area center on academic issues that relates to

achievement in education. This aspect of programme deals with issues that boarder on schooling

and success in education. The programme is developmental as its assist individuals to move from

one level of education to another.

It prepare individuals to be well adjusted, and effective in their educational issues. It also prepares

one from pre-primary education level to primary, (Basic level) them through secondary educational

level to tertiary education level. Uzoeshi (2013), emphasized that the programme include, selection

of right subject combinations, development of effective study habits, overcoming examination

anxieties, acquiring effective reading skills obtaining information regarding further studies and

enhancing confidence while speaking in class and to others in the society.

2. Vocational Guidance Programme: This area of the guidance programme is concerned

with the world of work. The programme prepare individuals to make realistic and wise choice of

career that suit their interest, values, abilities, skills, talents or aptitude and personality

characteristics (Inaja, 2011). To explore vocation alternatives, Asuquo (2007), opined that

individuals should;

 Identify and use various sources of information about employment opportunities

 Write application resumes complete applications forms and develop strategies for job search

processes.

 To experience simulated job interviews.

 To understand and appreciate the relevance of their career in the world of work.
3. Personal-Social Guidance Programme: This aspect of guidance and programmes

concentrates on individual’s personal, social, and psychological challenges an individual. The

personal social problems are confidential and one may feel shy or ashamed to disclose the problem

to others except with a trusted person (the counsellor), who is trained to keep secret of problems

that affect others, such problems include, family issues, pregnancy, suicidal, rape, problem

of aged parents, mental illness, Human immune virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune deficiency

syndrome (AIDs) and many other personal problems.

The Role of Guidance and Counselling for sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria

Guidance and counseling is a tools in preserving the values of education and ensuring that

educational programme content of each subject or course is actualized through the facilitative role

of the manager of counseling programmes (the counselors). According to Ogunyemi (2008) and

Mallum (2014) outlines the objectives of Guidance and counseling to include the followings;

1. To assist all students in making appropriate and satisfying educational vocational, personal

and social choices.

2. To develop in students an awareness of opportunities in the personal social, educational and

vocational areas by providing them with appropriate, useful and usable information.

3. To help students acquire the skills of collecting and using appropriate information

4. To develop among them career awareness through understanding of career opportunities,

life styles that are reflected in different types of work and job openings.

5. To help students remove barriers that may inhibit learning

6. To help them participate meaningfully in the opportunities provided by the school in

curricular and co-curricular activities.

7. To help students develop positive attitudes to self, others to appropriate national issues to

work and to learn.

8. To assist all students in acquiring as early as possible positive image of self through self-

understanding, self-direction and skills in problem-solving and decision-making.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Education is universally recognized as the answer to social economic problem of the world, Nations

and individuals look up to education to provide a cure for poverty, ignorance, climate change,

mental deficiency, joblessness etc. The important of commodity by any standard to any community

knowledge which is generally called education. The role of education in ensuring sustainable

development is not limited to developing regions but the whole world at large.

The major aim of sustainable Development Goals is to provide an inclusive and high quality

education that will improve the learner’s standard of living and community future.

Therefore, in other to achieved sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), guidance and counseling is

an instrumental in preserving the values of education and ensuring that educational programmes

content of each subject or course is actualized through the facilitative role of the manager of

counseling programmes (the counsellors).

Suggestions

Based on the facts discussed above, it is suggested that:

1. The government should provide adequate fund to build and equip counseling clinic in

schools.

2. The government should build counseling clinic in the communities’ Local Government

Areas and states.

3. There should be awareness campaign with postal’s and counselors monetary committees to

reach the states and local government areas.

4. There is need to employ young graduates in guidance and counseling to schools in the states

and local government areas.

5. The government should mandate private primary and secondary schools to employee

counselors.

6. Every school should have counseling unit or centre

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