ABSTRACT
    The purpose of this study was to conduct research into “the needs for guidance and counseling services in primary schools as perceived by primary school teacher in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State.
    Data were collected through the use of questionnaire four types of questionnaire were designed. Type one is there any difference in the need for guidance and counseling service in primary school as perceived by primary school teachers based on respondents gender?
    Is there any difference in the need for guidance and counseling service in primary schools as perceived by primary school teacher based on respondents’ educational qualification? Is there any difference in the need for guidance and counseling service in primary schools as perceived by primary school teacher based on respondents’ religion? Is there any difference in the need for guidance and counseling service in primary schools as perceived by primary school teacher based on respondents’ teaching experience? It was therefore, recommended that government should try to employ the qualified counsellors for primary school for effective changes in pupils and teachers.
    It was also recommended that adequate teaching and learning materials should be provided for the teaching. The provision could be made entirely by the government or through counterpart finding with the parents.

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
    Guidance and Counselling is based on the assumption that every individual in any society had, is having and will have a problem that he/she alone could not solve (Makinde, 1983). Okon (1984) suggested that African communities had always been carried out by traditional helper’s who assisted people when they had personal concerns and problems that could not be solved all by themselves. These traditional helpers have been identified in the various African cultures as ‘Uzenakpo among the Ibiobios, Dibia, Bokaye Uganda, Ngangu in Tanzania, Sikidy in Malaysia, Babalawo among Yoruba and Oboz among the Igala-tivs (Makinde 1983). This list is sufficiently convincing to indicate that traditional guidance have always been part of the role of the African extended family system in the traditional Nigeria society too. People sought solution to their problem in various ways, including going to fortune fellers, seeking advice from the elders, relation or friend.
    To explain the term guidance, Durojaiye (1992), viewed guidance within the content of the total educational process. He describe guidance as a complex process with encompasses the total needs of the individual, students to be directed or guided. This guide is available to the individual educational, social, emotional, health, vocational and leisure-time needs and for the individual preparation for a suitable occupation. This assistance h stressed, may take many forms. It may be educational, vocational, social, recreational, emotional and/or moral. Okon (1984) also defined guidance as a total programme of highly specialized activities implemented by all staff members to help individual make wise intelligent choices and decisions. As a service, guidance is the activities required for helping an individual for the enhancement of the individuals functioning. Guidance consist of the process of thinking an doing, it is the process of thinking and providing service aimed at helping individual to understand how to help themselves realistically.
    Shertzer and Stone (1994) define guidance as the process of helping individuals to understand themselves and their world. It should be clearly pointed out here that guidance has several definitions but they all point towards helping, aiding, directing or assisting an individual towards better understanding of him/herself and his/her world which leads to adjustment of the individual. It is a dynamic process, which undergoes continuous changes over time, as it is not a single event but a series of events, steps or actions, which are geared to general development of the individual.
    There are various guidance services which Okon (1984) called the basic element of guidance programme. The following activities are the essential services taken to paddle and cushion individuals off some of the problem that he or she may be faced with. These services include, Counselling information. Counselling services is a procedure by which a counselor assists a client or a group of clients achieve self-understanding and self-actualization. Information services involve the creation of awareness and provision of necessary guidance to assist students in decision making. Appraisal services encompass gathering, organizing and interpreting data or information about students for the purpose of assisting them to understand themselves.
    Orientation service involves the introduction of new students or staff to schools and members of a community. Placement services refer to the organization or any experience helpful to them according to their needs and capacities. Referral services it is a procedure by which a student or client who needs special attention or assistance is directed to relevant institutions and agencies in the community. Follow-up services involves monitoring of client or students by obtaining relevant and up-to-date information on their progress in school, working place, etc.
    Local research is related to the study of happenings in the school and the community in which a school is located. The main objectives of local research is to accelerate the growth and development of the students  and the community.
    Counselling is a part of guidance; it is the care of the school guidance programme. It is a interaction which takes place between a counselor and a counsellee or a group of counsellees (Idowu 1996). Thompson and Poppen (1986) defined counselling as a person to person relationship in which one person assist another to resolve an area of conflict that has not been hither to resolved. The purpose of Counselling is to assists students to explore and understand themselves so that they can become self-directing individuals. 
    Burks and Steffire (1991) described Counselling as a professional relationship between a trained counselor and a client. The relationship is usually person-to-person (individual) Counselling although it may sometimes involve more than two people (group Counselling). It is designed to help clients understand and clarify their view of life space and to learn to reach their self-determined goals through the resolution of problems of an emotional or inter-personal nature.