Breaking stigma: Fadhlina (right) with guidance and counselling teachers at the conference. — RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The Star
SPECIAL modules and documents meant to guide school counsellors to help their student clients have been launched by the Education Ministry (MoE).
Its minister Fadhlina Sidek said the six documents were created so that the assistance given by the counsellors would have an effect on those facing mental health issues.
Among the reasons she said these documents are needed is the aftermath of the Batang Kali landslide in Selangor last year.
“During this incident, we could see how important proper support and stability are in the ecosystem.
“Our preparedness needs to be a lot better to send off the frontliners, especially those involved in counselling and psychosocial (assistance),” she said at the International Education Counsellor’s Conference held on Oct 19.
The six documents are the Education Counsellor and Guidance and Counselling Teachers Competency Development Plan; the Crisis Intervention Guide; the Crisis Intervention Implementation Module; the MoE’s Psychological Counselling Service Strategic Plan 2023/2025; the Psychological Counselling and Guidance Service Guidelines for MoE; and the online Post-Suicide Incident Kit.
Fadhlina also said interventions are very important when it comes to handling mental health issues, adding that the stigma needs to be broken.
She added that a special counselling approach is needed for special needs students.
“When providing services to special needs students, guidance and counselling teachers need to understand the aspect of cross-culturalism, in this context referring to the special education needs (MBPK) culture among persons with disabilities (OKU).
“Guidance and counselling teachers need to be more creative and innovative so that a specialised and more suitable guidance and counselling process can be created and implemented for special needs student clients,” she said.
Fadhlina also said the ministry is committed to achieving the target ratio of one counsellor to 250 primary and secondary school students to ensure efficient and effective guidance and interventions for clients.
