Abstract

In the ever-changing realm of education, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is proving to be a game-changer, unlocking innovative opportunities. It is therefore, essential to investigate how these advancements can strengthen student support systems and improve overall outcomes. This paper examined the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to student personnel management and Counselling in public secondary schools in Cross River State, Nigeria. The study population included all principals from 297 public secondary schools across Cross River State. Census method was used to include all the principals in the study. Data were collected using a thirty six items structured instruments titled “Artificial Intelligence (AI), Student Personnel Management, and Student Counselling Questionnaire (AISPMSCQ).” The instrument was validated by three experts in the Departments of Educational Management and Measurement and Evaluation. The instrument was structured in line with the modified 4- points Likert scale which provided four levels of opinion as: Very High (VH), High (H), Low (E), Very Low (VL), with values of 4, 3, 2 and 1 respectively. Cronbach’s Alpha was used to test the reliability of the instrument which gave reliability indexes of 0.81 and .87. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions with a criterion mean of 2.50. Questionnaire items with mean opinion scores below 2.50 denoted ‘Disagreed’ while 2.50 and above signified ‘Agreed’. The study concluded that the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) significantly enhances student personnel management and counselling in public secondary schools in Cross River State. The findings emphasize the importance of integrating advanced technologies in counseling practices, offering practical insights for educators, policymakers, and stakeholders on leveraging AI to improve student support systems. It was recommended among others the Ministry of Education and school administrators should emphasize regular training and skill development for principals, counselors, and teachers. These initiatives should focus on equipping educators with the expertise needed to effectively adopt and apply AI tools in managing and supporting students.