Evaluation of psychological counseling and guidance services in memory education (The case of Manisa province)

In the education of memorization training the effective provision of psychological counseling and guidance services is important for contributing to students' educational, personal, and psychological development. The evaluation of these services plays a critical role in understanding the current situation and providing solutions to potential issues. However, there is observed lack of studies that comprehensively assess psychological counseling and guidance services in memorization training education. In this context, qualitative research using a phenomenological design was conducted with a targeted sample from twenty-two memorization courses in Manisa province. The study involved a total of 29 participants, including instructors, students, and parents from eight different Quran courses. Interviews were conducted using a "Semi-Structured Interview Form" prepared by the researcher, and the obtained data were analyzed through content analysis. The findings of the study indicate that parents perceive the need for more guidance services to meet their children's needs. Additionally, students believe that increased parental involvement in the education process can reduce negative interactions within the family. The study emphasizes the importance of making arrangements for healthier communication and collaboration in the student-instructor-parent triangle. Among the proposed strategies are providing regular in-service training for instructors to enhance the effective delivery of psychological counseling and guidance services and addressing pedagogical formation deficiencies. Implementing these strategies can contribute to maintaining the mental health of students, especially during adolescence, and providing guidance services suitable for their developmental characteristics in memorization education in Turkiye. The study is expected to contribute to the more effective implementation of psychological counseling and guidance services in memorization education in Turkiye and guide future research