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Counselling and Human Development Centre

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Counselling and Human Development Centre

The Ahmadu Bello University Counselling Centre came into existence in 1989 as Guidance and Counselling Unit in Student Affairs Division, following Abisoye’s Panel report. The report recommended among others that a Counselling Unit be created to organize Orientation Programmes for students and to counsel them on their educational, career and personal-socio problems that might be hindering them from achieving their academic goals, also to serve as loco-parent to the students who would want to have a listening ear to their challenges.

Mrs Bashmir and Mrs V.T. Adidu of Guidance and Counselling Section in the Faculty of Education were assigned to coordinate the activities of Counselling Unit in the Student Affairs Division. Presently only One (1) Counsellor, Two (2) Psychologist, Administrative Secretary and other supporting staff are in the Centre.

In 2000, a submission was made to Ijalaiye Investigation Panel who came to investigate A.B.U Crisis about the importance of functional and well equipped Counselling centres for all the Universities in Nigeria in order to curb most of undesirable behaviours’ of students in higher Institutions such as cultism, Drug Abuse, Campus unrest, unintended pregnancies, sexual harassment, examination malpractice, Indecent dress, etc. In addition, must students coming into the University nowadays are immature hence the need for counselling. The Counsellors provide assistance and direct students in adopting and adjusting to the existing norms of the University environment and in decision making. This was adopted by NUC for all the Universities in Nigeria.

In July 2013, ABU Guidance and Counselling Centre was upgraded to Counselling and Human Development Centre with Dr. Salman A. Adisa as the Pioneer Director of the Centre. The Centre have helped other Universities such as BU.K, Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, University of Jos, Federal University of Technology Minna, Katsina State University, University of Ilorin to mentioned but a few, to set up their Counselling Centres to exercise its operational functions of growth, preventive and rehabilitative.

The Ahmadu Bello University Counselling and Human Development Centre serve as a referral point for other similar Centres in other Universities as mentioned above and have been collaborating with both Government and Non-Governmental Organizations. It also have Linkages with all Departments, Faculties, Centres, ABU Medical Centre, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) and immediate host community.

The Centre consider the students as a priority followed by staff and host community hence its resolve to effectively exercise the three major functions of counselling.

  1. Preventive Function: This is to create a smooth level playing ground for students and staff by facilitating a stress-free atmosphere through anticipating, circumventing and forestalling threats and difficulties which may arise in the future. The goal is to achieve personal adjustment through sustained counselling.
  2. Rehabilitative Function: This implies that, Counsellors and Psychologists are always there to help students who are experiencing difficulties and hardship. The goal is to help them achieve and overcome personal crises to become free and happy again.
  3. Growth Function: This is to help students to derive intrinsic motivation in his/her area of specialization with the view of attaining personal fulfilment through the realization of individual potentialities. The goal is to maximally stimulate his/her interest in the educational, social and vocational experiences so that failure or low marks in school subjects is/are discouraged and avoided. Also provides referrals to appropriate bodies for students and staff on health, economic and emotional problems.

PRINCIPAL OFFICERS

Director
Samaru
Kongo

Director

   Dr. Sa'adatu Muhammed Makarfi
   +234-803-9606-777
  saadatumuhammedmakarfi@gmail.com

Head of Samaru Office

   Dr. (Mrs) S. Atiku
  atikub008@gmail.com

Head of Kongo Office

  Dr. Sa'adatu Muhammed Makarfi
   +234-803-9606-777
  saadatumuhammedmakarfi@gmail.com

SERVICES OFFERED IN THE CENTRE


The main function of the centre is to provide individual and group counselling services for students and staff in areas of difficulties and challenges facing them. Accommodation is protocols by the centre to students who are experiencing various health challenges such as students who are disabled and other related psychological problems.

Guidance and counselling services

The students are being guided and assisted to initiate and actualize their personal, social, academic and occupation goals. Also organizing students orientation programmes for both new and returning students at the beginning of each section.

Recommending Psychological testing and assessment

The Centre recommends students or clients for psychological testing and assessment where necessary, by comparing notes with the academia and experts in mental health.

Providing students’ career resources and development services

This is in the areas such as Scholarships opportunities for self-development, career talks, workshops, learning skills and internet resources for career and job search.

Providing Leadership training to students

Students are help to build leadership traits for future challenges, which includes national values of patriotism, discipline, respect for culture and religion, human rights, dress code, dignity of labour, among many others; and

Sensitizing and creating awareness to students on gender based violence

This is achievable through organizing lectures and Seminars on peaceful co-existence for the growth and development of both staff and students under general educational services.

Students work study scheme

This is being organized for needy students who could work and still study in areas such as coaching, ironing, babysitting, harvesting, car wash and gardening with the cooperation of University staff members.

Scholarship and Bursary Awards

The Centre co-ordinate all scholarship and bursary exercises in the University for students and staff; it also assist Local Governments, states, ministries, multi-national organizations and philanthropists to generate lists of students and to verify beneficiaries status for payment.

Recruitment interview

The Centre coordinates recruitment interviews by governments, parastatals, Companies and other Organizations wishing to recruit the University’s final year and postgraduate students for employment.

Vision

A catalyst in the University’s drive to deploy strategies for improving Ahmadu Bello University Students and staff career opportunities and sense of social responsibility.

Mission

To promote the development of career management initiatives that will enable Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria staff, students and immediate Community acquire critical life skills in order for them to make informed decisions and choices from among several alternatives and also enhance their social development and welfares.

Goals and Objectives

The Centre is to serve as an academic and career development outfit dedicated to helping students and other designated clients to explore career opportunities, gain career-related experiences and acquire skills that would enable them make successful transition after graduation whether to employment or further education and to assist employers in recruiting University students and graduates.

Goals

  • Assisting the youth to identify and recognize their interests, values, abilities and capacities, skills and positive personality traits and match these with their chosen careers,
  • Creating promoting and developing training events which will enhance youth’s employability;
  • Equipping youths with knowledge, values, experiences, etc. and prepare them for the worth of work or self-employment.
  • Training them to be effective, monitoring and skilled leaders;
  • Provide them with relevant job information and bridging the gap between them and the job market;
  • Becoming models to other centres to emulate.

Objectives

  • Provide Counselling services to students, staff and other clients;
  • Provide adequate information and training to students, staff and other clients in order to master professional skills and competencies in their chosen areas of study (career);
  • To liaise with Alumni and professional bodies to organise career development activities for students;
  • To provide referrals to appropriate bodies for students’ social, economic, emotional and other problems;
  • To secure job placements for students (undergraduate);
  • To liaise with Chief Medical Officer of the University in Planning and organizing activities for students on Health related concerns;
  • To liaise with Dean of Students on students welfare and co-curricular activities;
  • To provide enabling environment toward partnering with development partners and stakeholders to foster students’ career development;
  • To liaise with co-ordinator of students industrial work experience scheme (SIWES) on activities and programmes within and outside the university;
  • To co-ordinate Faculty/Departmental academic guidance activities with the students guidance and counselling services of the Centre; and
  • To collate data on global and Nigerian labour trends and advising students on scholarships and occupational opportunities that abound;