There are plans by the Education Ministry to increase the number of counsellors to address stress issues due to work and study among teachers and students.
The service will be provided when required in order to improve the mental health of students, teachers, and the ministry’s staff, according to The New Straits Times.
As of now, there are a total of 9,522 counsellors for schools, with another 326 counsellors at state education departments, district education offices and teacher education institutes nationwide.
The ministry views mental development among students seriously, and there are various initiatives such as art therapy and games that have been introduced in schools.
Mental health among teachers is also a serious matter. The role of these counsellors is not only to help students but also to help teachers who experience stress related to their job, said Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching at the launch of the International Counselling Seminar. The seminar is attended by around 600 school counsellors.
Tackling Stress Issues
Teachers who are facing work-related stress are encouraged to approach the assigned counsellors, who can then refer them for further medical treatment if necessary.
As for students, the school counsellors are well-trained and will be able to help students prepare for the challenges in today’s environment. At the same time, the ministry has also been looking at changes that will bring long-term sustainable effects.
As a start, the ministry has done away with exams for students in Standard 1 to 3. This is to ensure that the education they receive is more focused on general development, as well as contributing to building a stronger foundation built on wholesome values such as love, mutual respect, and happiness in schools.
A study conducted by the ministry in 2017 revealed that 2,123 (4.4%) of the 48,258 teacher respondents were identified to have experienced a moderate stress level.
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