Enhancing Guidance and Counselling Services for Mitigating Psychosocial Distress among University Students in Tanzania

Abstract

This study investigated the strategies for enhancing guidance and counselling services in an effort to mitigate psychosocial distress in Tanzanian Universities. The study adopted a qualitative approach. Multistage and purposive sampling techniques were used to select the study participants. Two universities, two counsellors and two Deans of Students were purposively selected while eighteen students, nine from each university were sampled on the willingness basis for group discussion across the faculties. Data was collected using focus group discussion and interview schedule. For content validity, the inter-raters established the viability of the instruments in view of the research question. Reliability was ensured through multiple data collection instruments. Data was analyzed thematically. The study established that peer counselling programs were not formalized in universities in Tanzania. It can also be concluded that students were not informed about the availability and benefits of guidance and counselling services available in universities and the guidance and counselling departments were underfunded by the universities. Moreover, the counsellors were not professionally trained in counselling. The study recommended that Universities should employ professional counsellors, adequately fund the guidance and counselling services for efficient services. Besides, orientation programs should include informing new students about available guidance and counselling services on campuses.