KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry plans to increase the number of counsellors to address the issue of teachers and students dealing with stress from work and study.
Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching said the service would be provided when it was required n order to improve the mental health of students, teachers and theministry's staff.
Currently, there were a total of 9,522 counsellors for schools, with additional 326 counsellors at state education departments, district education offices and teacher education institutes nationwide.
"We view mental development among students seriously, with various initiatives including art therapy and games have been introduced in schools.
"The same goes with mental health among teachers. The counsellors' role is not only to help students but also teachers who experience (job-related) stress,” she told reporters after launching the International Counselling Seminar today.
She urged teachers who were facing work-related stress to approach the assigned counsellors, who would also able to refer them for medical treatment if necessary.
Teo in her speech earlier said well-trained school counsellors would be able to help students prepare for the challenges in today’s environment.
“The ministry has also been looking at changes that will bring long-term sustainable effects.
“As a start, we have done away with exams for children aged seven, eight and nine,” she said.
Teo said this was to ensure that education was focused more on general development of the pupils, besides contributing to a stronger foundation built on wholesome values such as love, mutual respect and happiness in schools.
Based on a study conducted in 2017 by the ministry involving 48,258 respondents from the teachers, 4.4 per cent or 2,123 teachers were identified to have experienced a moderate stress level.
There were also reports on suicide attempts by students and teachers which were linked to depression.
Also present at the event was National School Counsellor Council president Ismail Hashim.
Some 600 school counsellors attended the three-day programme which ends on Thursday.