FOLLOWING its tradition of excellence, the Queen’s High School in St Andrew, an all-girls institution, won the Regional Award recently for its outstanding Guidance and Counselling programme.

The award was made as a part of the Ministry of Education’s Exemplary Guidance Programme Initiative – a programme which promotes the work of guidance counsellors, while encouraging the professionalisation of guidance in schools.

Queen’s model programme stood out among those of schools in Kingston, St Andrew and parts of St Thomas.

The school’s principal, Yvonne Keane-Dawes, expressed her pleasure at the achievement.

“I feel pleased about this accomplishment, the Guidance Department has done a tremendous job with students, teachers and parents,” she said. “The counsellors are highly motivated and work as a team.”

The principal’s role is integral to the programme’s success.

“Cooperation at all levels is important for a successful programme. Our principal understands what guidance and counselling are all about and gives us every support,” said head of the Guidance Department, Lascynth Chambers.

A committed Guidance Committee, led by the dynamic duo of guidance counsellors Chambers and Kasan Troupe, have successfully combined efforts to produce one of the best programmes island-wide.

“It was such a surprise for us to be recognised in this way,” said Chambers. “We were simply doing our job… it pays to do your work well.”

Chambers, who has been a counsellor at Queen’s for over 12 years, has skilfully developed the department into an impressive unit which meets the needs of the school community. Ably assisted by Troupe, who came on board four years ago, their efforts are also supported by the teachers, nurse, administrative staff and parents.

Chambers recalled that several years ago, many students perceived guidance and counselling in a negative light and felt that it was only for “bad” or “underprivileged” students. But that perception has now changed as the programme has taken on a new profile.

“The programme here has evolved, now guidance is seen more positively and students, staff and parents all come in to share with us,” Chambers said.

A clearly-marked sign makes the Guidance room readily identifiable to all who visit. The office provides the dual function for both private consultations – individual and group – and serves as a resource centre of information.

Leading to the department are glass cases with a vast array of eye-catching material on career guidance, study tips and workshop information. Both counsellors attest to a healthy reading population at Queen’s, and their pleasure at providing material for the students.

The attractively laid out Guidance office sets the tone for a programme which sees to the best interest of each student. It is a multi-faceted programme based on preventive measures to create a balanced and wholesome school environment.

Such preventive measures are necessary to nurture a harmonious school community, particularly in a school of approximately 1,700 girls from varying socio-economic urban and rural backgrounds.

“It is very stressful and difficult when you have to wait on things to happen and then you have to intervene”, counsellor Troupe said. “By that time you might have already lost some of your students. Our aim therefore is to be preventive.”

The programme encourages an open door policy.

“The counsellors are like parents to us,” a 16-year-old student who has undergone counselling remarks.

Paradoxically she adds, “But problems which we do not feel comfortable about sharing with our parents we share with our counsellors.”

The Guidance office provides a haven for students who may be experiencing problems. One 15-year-old recalled that to prevent herself from fighting another student, she bee-lined to the Guidance office as her first resort.

She says that Guidance is helping her to curb her temper and to handle conflicts in a non-confrontational manner. Her new disposition is also paying off in her studies.

“I am getting higher grades and I do my work better,” she said proudly.

A range of programmes and activities catering to the welfare of students, and preventive in nature, have been introduced by the Guidance Department. These are activities which have been created with much care and attention, mindful of the needs of the school community and ensuring that all stakeholders, students, staff and parents recognise their individual and social responsibility.

Personal development guidance begins from the girls enter school as the Guidance Department endeavours to ensure a smooth transition, not only into a new institution, but also into a new phase of life. During orientation, girls are addressed on the importance of being female and about appropriate social behaviour. Each student is also required to have a feminine kit.

In group guidance sessions, personal development topics are scheduled for each class weekly dealing with issues like career development, puberty, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. The Guidance Department also organises speaking engagements utilising positive female role models, including past students, for events such as International Women’s Day.

At the same time, guidance counsellor Troupe points out that the complementary role of both male and female within the society is also highlighted.

Conflict resolution and stress problems are real challenges that the department has had to handle for both lower and upper schools respectively. For the lower school, the conflicts are familiar and involve issues arising from the home.

For the upper school it is the problem of stress from exams and studies, Troupe explained.

Complementing counselling sessions, the department has adopted a range of measures to deal with stress control. The Resource Centre provides material on stress management tips and research and study guides, while music has been used for relaxation of the mind. To assist students in charting a career path, a major career fair is held annually as well as a tertiary programme to direct students to scholastic opportunities.

In recognition of the need for better parenting and to improve the relationship between parent and school, the Department has established a parents’ programme which recognises parents and offers direct assistance to them. Parents are specially recognised during Parents Month and the most outstanding receive awards for their contribution to the school community.

But the Parents programme goes a bit further. Through a survey, the unit discovered that parents needed help in dealing with family issues. The department consequently devised weekly workshop sessions focussing on stress management, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. Where there are unemployment problems, efforts are made by the Guidance Department to employ parents to work at the school in various areas.

The school’s welfare programme which is managed by the Guidance Department has a number of facets. Through the programme, students without breakfast or lunch are provided with free meals daily throughout the week. Needy students are also assisted with transportation costs, examination fees, scholarships, revolving book loan and uniforms.

A strong past students association, an active Parent Teachers Association and kind sponsorship and donations from corporate citizens are playing a key role in funding welfare efforts.

Assistance is also being provided for students who are visually impaired. The Department has already started to install talking computer software to assist the girls. Literature in Braille are also being sourced for these challenged students.

Angela Reid is a communications consultant who prepared this article on behalf of UNESCO.