ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COMPETENCY AND GUIDANCE COUNSELLING AS PREDICTORS OF PERCEIVED NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN FCE (SPECIAL), OYO

Abstract

This study examined artificial intelligence competency and guidance and counselling interventions as predictors of perceived institutional contribution to national development among staff and students of Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo. A descriptive correlational design was adopted, with 320 participants selected through stratified random sampling from the institution. Data were collected using the AI Competency Scale (AICS), Guidance and Counselling Intervention Scale (GCIS), and National Development Index Scale (NDIS). Findings revealed significant positive relationships between AI competency and perceived national development (r = .672, p < .001) and between guidance and counselling interventions and perceived national development (r = .648, p < .001). Multiple regression analysis showed that the two variables jointly explained 59.1% of the variance in national development (R² = .591, F = 229.47, p < .001), with AI competency as the stronger predictor (β = .374), followed by guidance and counselling interventions (β = .316). The study concludes that both variables are practically significant predictors of perceived national development contribution and recommends that FCE (Special), Oyo invest in structured AI competency programmes and strengthen institutional guidance and counselling frameworks as strategic pathways to enhanced institutional development outcomes.