Counsellors' experiences of using school counselling to promote social and emotional learning among pupils in a private secondary school in Zambia: A hermeneutic study

Elita Mvula; Ndhlovu Daniel

doi:10.51867/AQSSR.3.4.6

Authors

Elita Mvula University of Zambia Author https://orcid.org/0009-0006-9665-4560
Prof. Daniel Ndhlovu University of Zambia Author https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7374-9049

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51867/AQSSR.3.4.6

Keywords:

Counsellors' Experiences, Hermeneutic Phenomenology, School Counselling, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), Secondary School Pupils

Abstract

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is gaining ground as an important aspect of comprehensive education to develop pupils’ skills in emotional regulation, positive relationships, and responsible decision making. The SEL skills of learners have been a focal point for school counselling. However, little is known about the experiences of Zambia’s counsellors in applying counselling to promote SEL in secondary schools. Guided by the Social and Emotional Learning framework developed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), this study examines the experiences of counsellors in a selected private secondary school in Lusaka District, Zambia, in promoting SEL among students. The methodology of the study was a constructivist paradigm, a hermeneutic interpretative phenomenological design, a purposive sample of six members of the school counselling committee and ten pupils who have received counselling. The data collection techniques used were semi structured interviews, document analysis and non-participant observation. Data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and the four existential lifeworld dimensions: lived worlds, lived space, lived time, and lived relations were the focus. The results demonstrate that counsellors engaged in a variety of ways to teach the five components of SEL, which were: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, social skills, and responsible decision making. Counselling was reported to improve the pupils’ emotional regulation and interpersonal relationship, empathy, confidence and decision-making skills. However, factors like lack of resources, time and lack of institutional support were found to be obstacles in providing effective counselling. The study proposes that a school counselling programme is one of the most important enablers of SEL and ought to be boosted in secondary schools by improving the training, provision and policy support for school counsellors to promote better SEL outcomes.

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