Counselling Services, Psychological Testing and Assessment for Quality Higher Education in Nigeria

Authors: Fakokunde Mogbekeloluwa Oluyinka

Pages: 40-45

Abstract:

Education is a critical factor in producing human resource that is necessary for economic development of a country. In Nigeria, one of the major goals of Higher education as stated in the National Policy on Education is to provide high quality career counselling and life – long learning programmes that prepare students with the knowledge and skills for self reliance. Furthermore, Nigeria’s philosophy of education is based on the integration of the individual into a sound and effective citizen at all levels of education. To achieve this, the role of counselling cannot be overemphasised, likewise the use of psychological testing. However, this aspect is often neglected in the counselling process, thereby conducting counselling out of intuition and of natural experience and subjectivity. Therefore, this paper brings to bare the contemporary counselling services in higher education and the importance of psychological testing and assessment. In addition, it discusses the nexus between counselling and psychological testing with various hindrances to effective use of psychological tests in higher institutions. Conclusively, the paper profers suggestions on how psychological testing could be enhanced in the counselling process for quality higher education in Nigeria.