Anwiankwanta (Ash), March 24, GNA - A counsellor has identified procrastination, laziness, poor time investment, alcoholism and drug abuse as some major obstacles to youths success in life. Mr Joe Koranteng, Ashanti Regional Co-ordinator of Guidance and Counselling Unit of the Ghana Education Service (GES), who made the observation, said proper time management was crucial for making conscious decisions and self realization.

He was speaking at a day's workshop organized by Amansie East Municipal Education Directorate for 90 school-based teachers selected from Anwiankwanta, Bekwai and Poano Circuits at Anwiankwanta on Monday. It was aimed at equipping the teachers with skills to adequately plan and develops guidance and counselling programmes according to challenges that existed in their schools. Through orientation, Mr Koranteng said, students would be helped to feel emotionally secured and equipped with relevant information to help them adjust to the school's environment.

He said teachers serve as consultants to identify the student's special needs and problems, and provide adequate, appropriate and relevant information on their academic and personal growth. "It was the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that, the school environment is safe, healthy and conducive enough to enhance effective and efficient teaching and learning," he said. Mr Koranteng charged the participants to develop appropriate tools and indicators for monitoring and evaluating the impact of guidance and counselling services in the schools.

The Co-ordinator admonished them to initiate and encourage guidance and counselling on study skills, examination techniques, career orientation, morality and job interviews. Reverend Baah Yarney, the Amansie East Municipal Guidance and Counselling Co-ordinator, noted that career choices in pre-tertiary schools had major implications for later education and work options. He identified pressure from parents, teachers, peer group, ignorance, fantasy and financial rewards as some factors that affected students' choice of programmes and careers.

Rev Yarney advised that in choosing a career, the student needs to critically examine himself and identify his ability, interest, potentials and aspirations which he said, was the only means for a successful life. 24 March 09