Students’ Attitude Towards Online Counselling: The Case of Higher Institutions in the Sunyani Municipality

The study explores university students' attitudes towards online counselling within higher institutions in the Sunyani Municipality, focusing on Sunyani Technical University (STU) and the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR). As a result of the technological revolution and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, online counselling has emerged as a viable alternative to traditional face-to-face counselling. This research adopts a descriptive survey design, utilizing a sample size of 380 students selected through simple random sampling. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The findings indicate that students generally view online counselling as beneficial, particularly appreciating its convenience and flexibility in fitting into their busy schedules. However, despite recognizing its benefits, students expressed reservations about the actual utilization of online counselling services, citing concerns about the lack of personal interaction, difficulties in establishing trust, and discomfort in discussing personal issues online. Gender-based differences were also observed, with male students demonstrating a more favourable attitude towards online counselling services than their female counterparts. The study underscores the need for online counselling platforms to address trust-building and personal connection issues to be more effective. Additionally, tailored strategies may be necessary to encourage female students to engage more with online counselling. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and educational institutions in designing and implementing more effective online counselling services that cater to the diverse needs of students in higher education.