Counselling must, situation worsening in Kerala schools

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Carefree attitude, laziness in class and excessive anger without any serious cause are widespread among students these days. It was only recently that a student seriously injured a teacher in Parannur Higher Secondary School.

Social media abuse and substance abuse are disrupting children's mental health. Counselling is the only remedy to help these students get back on the right path. For this, it is crucial to understand the evil thoughts disturbing them. For this, the teachers demand that permanent psychologists be appointed in the schools. The services of psychologists should be ensured for at least three days a week.

These days, students flaunt mobile phones inside classes and are unworried about the odds of their faculties noticing it. The teachers too admit that the classes have turned noisy and many among the faculty members are even afraid to reprimand students for fear of retribution.

Higher secondary schools have friendship clubs to identify the problems of students but these haven’t paid any dividends. Teachers are trained on a basic level in counselling students. However, if some strange cases happen, their ‘basic’ counselling prowess would be of no help.

Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Psychiatry Department Professor Dr Arun B. Nair says lack of attention and distraction are widespread among students who have returned to studies after two long years of lockdown and online classes.

Anxiety and depression are also causes of concern. At least one psychiatrist post should be created in each district under the education department. Behavioural problems in children should be addressed early. If not, there is a possibility of these students getting addicted to drugs and slowly falling for criminal ways.