By Rabiu Sanusi
The Permanent Secretary of the Kano Educational Resource Directorate (KERD), Hajiya Rabi Inuwa Hussain, has led a monitoring team to three centres in metropolitan Kano to assess the implementation of the Statewide Career Choice and Guidance Programme.
The programme is designed to help students make informed decisions about their academic subjects, courses of study and future careers.
The monitoring team visited SAS in Kano Municipal Local Government Area, GGC Dala in Dala Local Government Area and Kadawa in Ungogo Local Government Area, where the Permanent Secretary and her team interacted with participants and facilitators and assessed the conduct of the counselling and career guidance sessions.
Speaking during the exercise, Hajiya Rabi Inuwa commended participants and facilitators for their commitment, stressing that effective career guidance was essential to helping students avoid inappropriate choices of subjects and courses.
She explained that the programme was introduced to address challenges faced by students who, despite obtaining good examination results, sometimes struggle to secure admission because of incorrect subject combinations or unsuitable career choices.
The Permanent Secretary disclosed that the state government was preparing to issue certificates to participants who successfully completed the counselling training, while facilitators would receive letters of commendation for their contributions.
She urged participants to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during the training in their respective schools, particularly in guiding students towards subjects, courses and career paths that match their abilities and aspirations.
One of the facilitators, Dr Shehu Ahmad, called for the formal certification of participants, saying it would provide recognised evidence of their training and strengthen their capacity to serve as counselling support personnel in their schools.
Ahmad said the training had equipped participants with basic counselling skills to address challenges involving students, teachers and parents.
He added that trained personnel could help provide appropriate interventions and professionally manage sensitive situations within the school environment.
Also speaking, Asiya Ibrahim Muhammad of Government Special Education commended the state government and the Commissioner for Education for supporting the training.
She said continuous capacity building for teachers would strengthen the quality of educational guidance available to students.
The monitoring exercise underscored the importance of effective implementation of the Statewide Career Choice and Guidance Programme in strengthening school counselling and helping students make informed decisions about their academic and professional futures.
