Skilled counsellors to steer students on right path

COUNSELLORS in a school environment should be equipped with knowledge and skills on components of counselling so that students can develop good personalities and be honest citizens.

This was said by the Ministry of Education's acting head of Counselling and Career Guidance Section of the Department of Schools, Hjh Gambar Hj Gapar yesterday during the certificate presentation to some 58 assistant counsellors from public schools and government agencies, upon completion of undergoing a guidance and counselling course.

She said: "I hope that our unit will be able to groom counsellors to prepare for academic development and character counselling as well as career education, individual and group counselling. Counselling is a holistic approach that counsellors should carry out instead of just helping students with their problems, such as teaching students about our culture, the Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB) concept and to be honest citizens."

Facilitator of the course, a consulting counsellor at the Counselling and Career Guidance Section, Dr Ee Ah Meng said that he had been coordinating the course for the past 11 years and that this year's course was held over a period of two months to equip the assistant counsellors with the skills and knowledge needed, as well as update them on counselling methods.

"I hope that after the course, the counsellors will be able to perform their duties to help students overcome problems such as in the academic and disciplinary area," he said, adding that this would create a more conducive teaching and learning environment.

"Students come from different backgrounds. Some are more motivated than others, and therefore the less motivated ones tend to create problems and that is why we need to equip counsellors with counselling methods, such as skills in communication and how to conduct counselling activities."

Assistant counsellor Hazni Hj Mohd Hashim from Pg Pekerma Setia DiRaja Sahibul Bandar Primary School said that she was glad she attended the course to acquire basic counselling skills as some students in her school were giving her problems. "This course has helped me a lot in terms of adopting a 'softer' approach when dealing with the students so that they will open up to me and feel comfortable when telling their problems."

Hazni said that it was important to detect problems students are experiencing at an early stage. "Some students just keep quiet and it is difficult for us to know what they are going through, and therefore we have to go up to them and ask them personally. We want students to feel comfortable so they can come to us for anything at all," she said. Participant Mawarni Hj Mohd Salleh from Sayiddina Abu Bakar Secondary School said the course was useful in helping her deal with problematic students. "I have learnt that counsellors and disciplinary teachers at school have very different roles, and that our approach is different from theirs. We have to be friendly with the students so they can open up to us."

"Teachers and counsellors should also share their experiences with students, so that they do not feel like they are the only ones with problems," she explained.

Mohd Syaafee Hj Abd Rahim from Pehin Dato Jamil Primary School also said that the course has benefited him in terms of helping students with their problems. "Some of the problems that students are facing in my school are family problems and a bit of peer pressure. From the course, I have learnt to be positive and not to judge students." He said that it is vital to have counsellors in schools to lessen the burden of teachers in aiding students. "There should be more courses like this in the future to improve skills in counselling, and I hope that I will be a better counsellor now."

The ceremony was held at Sekolah Tinggi Perempuan Raja Isteri (STPRI) yesterday. On hand to present certificates to the participants was the Ministry of Education's senior special duties officer and head of primary section, Aidin Hj Abu Bakar. The Brunei Times