Function of Guidance in Education

Educational guidance is an essential part of guidance programs. It is an indivisible part of education and therefore, has a special importance. Once a student graduates from primary to secondary schools and then to the university level, education can become more and more rigorous. This may give rise to several problems, and the solution to this problem is guidance.

The primary focus of educational guidance is to advance a student’s ability to establish coordination at different levels. It also creates awareness to make wise choices in service of the students’ goals. With increasing unemployment, diversity in the educational sphere, a collapse in the standards of education and a lack of practical education, the need for educational guidance naturally becomes increasingly important.

Relationship between Education and Guidance

There is an important relationship between education and guidance, but to be able to truly understand this relationship, it is necessary to understand the following components of education:

1. The Process of Changes within the Individual:

Education is the process through which desirable changes can be brought about in an individual so that they integrate into society. From this point of view, education is an individualist process. If education is understood in this context, there is no need for any guidance. However, to bring about changes through education, it is clear that a student needs guidance.

2. Education is Instruction:

A teacher is considered an agent of society. Teachers who value efficiency, continually try to help the students find the method that is best suited to them. In cases where the teacher selects the method, there is teaching but no guidance. However, in cases when the teacher assists the learner in choosing a method, guidance is necessary.

3. Education as a Social Task:

Human beings, by nature, are social beings. It is the responsibility of society to shape beings and guide them in their emotional, physical, and mental development. In these areas of development, guidance is essential. The main objective of education is the all-round development of a youngster, which is not possible without knowing their interests, abilities, and potential. This task can be achieved only through guidance.

Educational Guidance

‘Educational guidance may be defined as conscious effort to assist in the intellectual growth of an individual. Anything that has to do with instruction or with learning may come under the term educational guidance’.

Educational guidance is primarily concerned with assistance given to students with regards to their choices and adjustments with relation to schools, curriculum, courses, and school life. Educational guidance is vitally related to every aspect of the school, the curriculum, the methods of instruction, disciplinary procedures, attendance, problems of scheduling, the extracurricular, the health and physical fitness program and home and community relations.

Some of the following characteristics of educational guidance state:

a) Educational guidance is a comprehensive process.

b) In educational guidance, several problems related to education can be discussed, such as method of study, or choosing techniques of education, organizing time, the coordination of school life with other activities and regular attendance in school.

c) It involves finding adequate solutions to problems encountered at the different levels of education.

d) It aids in quitting undesirable habits and making proper adjustment and resolving problems cropping up at different levels of education.

e) It helps in providing assistance to a student in the event of his not making desired educational achievements.

f)It tries to overcome difficulties in the choice of subjects and curricula at different levels of education.

Conclusion

As the process of education becomes more challenging, the need for educational guidance becomes imperative. It is crucial to understand the meaning of education, its relationship with guidance and how it differs from guidance. The primary objective of education is the whole development of a student. This is only possible with knowledge of the students’ interests, abilities, and potential.

It is the duty of the educationist to provide an inspiring atmosphere in which a student develops their potential and abilities. This will likely lead to physical, emotional, intellectual, mental, and social development. Through educational guidance, the proper tools are provided to individuals so they may relate to the educational curriculum.

The nature of educational guidance differs at the different levels of education. Educational guidance is instrumental in encouraging healthy practices and removing subject-related problems. Often, a student when confronted with difficulty in some subjects, develops an aversion to it. Guidance helps in overcoming these difficulties. The school principal and other teachers who shoulder the general responsibilities of guidance are kept in the category of generalists. Those who perform guidance activities for which training or specialized knowledge is needed are called specialists, for example, counselor, psychologist and physician. An important function of guidance at the secondary level is to keep the students informed about educational and vocational opportunities befitting their abilities, interests and talents to enable them to choose their vocational goal. This function is performed by trained career masters who maintain liaison with different employment agencies.