Academic Counselling and Students' Educational Attainment in Ghanaian Higher Education

Abstract

This study explored the role counselling plays in stimulating effective studies among students in Ghanaian public universities. Studying at the higher education level is essentially learner-centered and therefore more challenging to students. Counselling is, thus, necessary to support students' efforts at their lofty educational endeavours. In-depth interviews and a focus group discussion were used to gather qualitative data from a purposively selected sample of thirteen counselled students. Through thematic analysis and the interpretive phenomenological approach, the researcher analysed data to generate meaningful study findings. Profound academic insight, fruitful study habits and sharper study skills were among the valuable benefits students realised from experiencing their institutional counselling services. Effective partnerships were subsequently recommended among stakeholders in education to promote future professional counselling services among higher education students in Ghana.