Malaysian School Counsellors’ Challenges in Job Description, Job Satisfaction and Competency
Abstract
School counselors play an important role in providing professional counseling services. In Malaysia, the role of school counselors correlates in filling the needs of developed countries by 2020 to develop a human capital with a strong identity and are noble, knowledgeable, and highly skilled. To perform these roles, school counselors need to constantly improve their knowledge, skills, and competencies to meet the demands and needs related to the wellbeing of students holistically. These include the students’ emotional, mental, and behavioral health, which in turn contribute to academic excellence. This study aimed to explore the challenges of Malaysian school counselors in their job descriptions, job satisfaction, and competency. This was a qualitative study that used semi-structured interviews conducted with five school counselors. The results provided valuable information about the practice of counseling in a school setting in Malaysia. Results showed that conflict existed within the job scope and role of school counselors, job satisfaction, and competency of school counselors. This study supported the notion that the counseling service in primary schools should be given attention by the responsible authorities in order to enhance the quality of the profession. The implication of the study was to improve the practice of counseling in primary school settings in Malaysia.
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