Effect of Individual Counselling on Academic Performance of Underachiever Pupils in Maimusari Public Primary School, Jere Local Government Area, Borno State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study sought to investigate the effect of individual counselling on academic performance of underachievers? pupil in Maimusari Public Primary School, Jere local Government Area, Borno State, Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to examine the nature and causes of underachievement in Maimusari Public Primary School, also the effect of individual counselling on academic performance of the underachiever pupils. Based on these objectives, two research questions and one null hypothesis were answered and tested respectively. Quasi-experimental design was used for the study. Twenty-two underachieving pupils were purposively sampled from the population of the study. Both questionnaire and interview were used as method of data collection; Effect of Individual Counselling on Underachievers in Public Primary Schools (EICUPPS) and interview schedule. The data collected was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of the study discovered that coming late to school, not having complete learning material, depression, anxiety and teachers? attitude in the classroom were the major causes of underachievement in Maimusari primary school. The study also revealed that individual counselling helped the pupils in overcoming their learning barriers. It is, therefore, concluded that individual counselling has significant effect on underachievement among pupils of public primary school in Maiduguri, Borno State. It is recommended among others that class teachers need to be oriented on how to identify underachieving pupils in their various classes and inform the appropriate authority for proper management.