Why counseling in schools key to unlocking students’ potential

DAR ES SALAAM: Educators and education stakeholders from across the globe met in Dar es Salaam to discuss integrating counseling into the academic curriculum and calendar, an initiative described as a tool for unleashing students’ potential.

At the event organized for the first time in the country by the International Career and College Counseling (IC3) and hosted by Aga Khan Education Services (AKES) in Dar es Salaam, the education stakeholders, including school administrators and parents, emphasized competency-based curriculums to help students realize their dreams.

Dr Shelina Walli, Chief Executive Officer of AKES Tanzania, emphasized the significance of individual and collective contributions in preparing global citizens who are ready to lead locally in this dynamic era of rapid change.

“Empowering all academic staff to work closely with career counselors will enable us to be mindful of the importance of lifelong learning,” Dr. Walli noted at the event, which brought together over 200 representatives from both public and private schools.

The AKES CEO highlighted the importance of career counselors in guiding students and emphasized the need for a competency-based education curriculum.

Ganesh Kohli, founder of the IC3 Movement, emphasized the role of career and college counseling in helping students find meaning and purpose beyond academic subjects.

Grayson Mndeme, a form six student at Aga Khan Mzizima Secondary School, stressed the importance of educators considering talents beyond academic achievements and supporting students in fulfilling their career aspirations.

Aravid Raghavendran, the students’ president at Aga Khan Mzizima Secondary School, highlighted the need for proper counseling to unlock students’ potential, addressing a gap IC3 aims to fill.

IC3’s mission is to implement systemic career and college counseling in every school to bring purpose and peace.

AKES Tanzania operates three schools, providing quality education from nursery to secondary levels, focusing on developing independent inquiry and critical thinking abilities.

The Aga Khan Education Service (AKES), Tanzania aims to implement educational programs that assist students in acquiring life skills and an intellectual foundation to navigate a globalized and technologically advanced world.