Emerging Trends of Counselling for Sustainable Development among Students and Teachers of Secondary Schools in Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State, Nigeria

School counsellors’ unique role makes them ideal coordinators and leaders in implementing sustainable development and effective disaster management in schools which teachers and students play a role. This study investigated the emerging trends of counselling for sustainable development among students and teachers of secondary schools in Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State. Five research questions and one hypothesis were raised for this study. Descriptive survey research design was used for this study. Structured questionnaire were administered to 180 respondents using stratified random sampling procedure in selecting 4 secondary schools from four Local Government Areas of the Senatorial District. The data were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistical analyses and interpretation. The study found that, schools lacked adequate physical and human resources needed for effective counselling service delivery. Thus, the level of patronage of the counselling unit in schools was low. As a result, majority (43%) of the students preferred going to their parents/guardians for counselling, (32%) consult their classmates and friends, while (21%) feel free to consult their school counsellors. It was observed that issues students sought for Guidance and Counselling were education, vocational and private while the teachers visit the counsellor on personal issues mostly (61%). Counsellors used one-on-one methods commonly. The respondents (75%) stated that Guidance and Counselling programme is not carried out by schools adequately due to poor funding and negligence. Counselling services rendered in private schools were not significantly different from that of public schools. Therefore, the specialized skills of the school counsellors need to be tapped to prevent, and treat increasing psychosocial problems of the students and teachers to provide sustainable development and reduce personality disaster in secondary schools. It is recommended that, all schools should provide basic resources for guidance and counselling; funding of the Guidance and Counselling programmes in schools should be increased; more school counsellors should be employed.