CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The problems the average teenage or youth in secondary schools in Nigeria has reached an alarming rate thus leading to the urgent need for effective counseling to help guide and nurture these young minds to avoid been overwhelmed by these problems which may lead them to making costly mistakes for their future.
It has been very glaring that Guidance and Counseling which helps in the identification of teenage problems and rendering possible support were necessary has been lacking in our educational system especially in the secondary schools, until recently, this discipline has been grossly omitted in the system. Due to the absence of career guidance, many students have not got the proper skill to function effectively among her contemporaries. A good number of students have not been able to examine their potentialities and attempt to find career that will bring them job satisfaction; this may be attributed to either not Listening to a guidance counselor not receiving counsel at all. It is therefore imperative to expose students to various methods or ways of solving their problems, this cannot be over emphasized. It has been discovered that most schools do not have a functional guidance and counseling in solving teenage problems rather what exist is a miniature office occupied by teaching staff who offers skeletal guidance occasionally to students a wall as still teach his/her complete weekly periods, hence not having time for the guidance and counseling services.
In view of this schools are encouraged to have a solid and functional guidance and counseling program being headed by qualified counselor to meet the individual needs of the students.
STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL PROBLEM
The poor academic performance of the teenager in examinations in secondary schools should not be blamed on either the teaching pattern of the child’s lack of receptiveness to teaching it may have been caused by the enormous problems confronting the teenager which in most cases may not be noticed by teachers and thus these problems has adversely affected these youths in secondary schools and has made them join bad peers in other to confide in someone which most of the times has led to the increase of cultism, prostitution and other vices  in secondary schools which has by extension led to the decline in the product of teenagers who graduate from the secondary school annually.