School Counsellors’ Competency in Managing Students with Learning Disabilities in Ibadan, Oyo State

The effective management of students with learning disabilities within mainstream secondary schools requires counsellors with specialised knowledge, empathetic dispositions, and adaptive intervention skills. This study assessed the competency of school counsellors in managing students with learning disabilities in selected secondary schools in Ibadan, Oyo State, South West Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was adopted, involving 65 school counsellors and 180 students with formally or informally identified learning difficulties across 20 secondary schools. A structured competency assessment questionnaire and a student needs inventory served as data collection instruments. Means, standard deviations, and t-tests were used for analysis. Findings revealed that most counsellors demonstrated awareness of learning disability categories but lacked practical skills in implementing differentiated counselling strategies and educational adjustments. There was a significant gap in counsellors' knowledge of assistive technologies and inclusive education frameworks. Students reported limited interaction with counsellors regarding academic support needs, with only 29 percent indicating that their counsellor had addressed their specific learning challenges. The study concluded that pre-service and in-service training programmes for school counsellors in Oyo State do not adequately address special educational needs counselling. Recommendations included curriculum reform in counsellor training institutions, mandatory continuing professional development, and establishment of resource centres for inclusive guidance in Ibadan schools. Keywords: counsellor competency, learning disabilities, inclusive education, Ibadan, school counselling.