Guidance and Counselling Services and Career Decision-Making Among Final Year Secondary School Students in Oyo State

This study examines the relationship between guidance and counselling services and career decision-making among final year secondary school students in Oyo State, South West Nigeria. Effective career guidance is regarded as essential for helping young people align their interests, abilities, and opportunities as they transition from secondary school to higher education or vocational training. The study adopts a descriptive survey design, targeting 350 Senior Secondary School Three students and school counsellors from schools in Ibadan North, Ogbomosho North, and Oyo local government areas. Data were collected using a guidance services utilisation questionnaire and a career decision-making scale, both validated through expert review. Pearson correlation and independent samples t-test were applied. The study draws on Super's Developmental Theory of Career Development and Holland's Theory of Career Choice as guiding frameworks. It examines the frequency and quality of counselling sessions received by students and their association with career maturity, self-efficacy, and decision clarity. Findings are expected to reveal that students who receive regular and structured counselling services demonstrate significantly higher levels of career decision-making readiness compared to those with minimal access. The study also explores differences in career guidance access between urban and peri-urban schools. Recommendations are directed at the Oyo State Ministry of Education, the West African Examinations Council, and teacher training colleges on strengthening career counselling capacity and coverage in secondary schools across South West Nigeria. Keywords: guidance and counselling, career decision-making, secondary school, Oyo State, career development