-from September

-by Shamiah Grant

In an effort to tackle bullying and violence in schools, the Ministry of Education says it is moving to strengthen support systems by providing enhanced psychology training for guidance counsellors ahead of the new school term. 

Some 50 guidance counsellors within the school system will be among the first cohort to undertake enhanced psychology training this September.

The programme will be delivered in partnership with the School of Nations and the UK-based organisation through a 10-week course. 

The announcement was made by Education Minister Sonia Parag during an anti-bullying and anti-violence consultation in Region 5 on Tuesday. 

Highlighting the importance of the initiative, Minister Parag explained that the programme is designed to provide more in-depth psychology-based training to better address the growing issues of bullying and violence in schools.

“It’s an enhancement to the basic social work training that they would have already received. It will give them, I believe, the capacity or more of a capacity to be able to deal with delicate and sensitive situations,” she explained.  

Parag noted that educators who have already completed undergraduate and graduate studies will also be included in the training programme.

Additionally, the training programme is expected to be expanded to all guidance counsellors across the country in the following year.