NILAI: The Education Ministry intends to increase the number of counsellors by targeting the ratio of one counsellor to 250 primary and secondary students.
Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching (pix) said currently there are 9,445 existing counsellors with 5,780 of them being in secondary schools and the rest in primary schools with the current ratio being one counsellor for 350 students in primary school while the ratio in secondary school was 1: 500 students.
“It is still not enough to accommodate the large number of students. The ministry is currently conducting a detailed study on this issue and it is hoped that it will achieve a ratio of one counsellor to 250 students.
“This effort needs the approval of various agencies as it involves the issue of budget and civil servants,” she told reporters after opening the Guidance and Counselling Symposium for Tamil School Teachers here yesterday.
Earlier, Teo in her speech said that the ministry was aware of the need to increase the number of counsellors and gave serious attention to the matter for the benefit of more than five million students nationwide.
She said various issues faced by students today include chemical contamination, suicide cases and depression requiring the ministry to make greater efforts to address them, including empowering counsellors.
“Such incidents are an eye-opener to the public on the importance of counselling services in carrying out crisis interventions for victims and families. Therefore, it is advisable for counsellors from time to time to be prepared with new knowledge and skills,” she said. — Bernama
