BATU PAHAT: The Education Ministry has started giving psychological and emotional first aid assistance to all teachers and students in several conflict areas in Sabah to help them cope with the situation.

Deputy Education Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi (pix) said Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM), the crisis intervention program, is being conducted by the Ministry's psychology and counselling section beginning this week.

He said five counselling experts would lead 24 counselling teachers to provide the assistance to teachers and students in the four affected areas, namely Lahad Datu, Kunak, Tawau and Semporna.

The programme would be held in stages to assist teachers and students from 57 schools in the areas affected, he said after a groundbreaking ceremony of a new school building for SJK (C) Chong Hwa in Sungai Ayam here on Saturday.

“Since it began, a total of 355 teachers in Lahad Datu have been given counselling to help them manage the traumatic experiences.

“Another team of counsellors would travel to the crisis areas soon to help the students,” he said.

Besides, seminars are also being arranged for teachers whose husbands among the security forces personnel deployed to Sabah, he said.

Dr Mohd Puad, who is Batu Pahat MP, said many teachers teaching in islands nearby Simunul are still traumatised by the incidents and fear of going to schools by boats.

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