Kamalanathan: Teachers under 'extreme stress' need counselling

Datuk P. Kamalanathan

KUALA LUMPUR: Teachers who experience "extreme stress" while performing their duties are encouraged to seek counselling at the education ministry's psychology and counselling division.

Deputy Minister Datuk P. Kamalanathan (pic) said the move was to prevent any untoward incident involving teachers.

"We have 450,000 teachers in Malaysia and most of them are ''exemplary teachers'' and very responsible.

"However, there are some troubled teachers suffering from depression and stress and we provide a lot of avenues to help them.

"Last year, about 200 teachers underwent counselling, including two per cent who were instructed to do so," he told reporters after launching the Malaysian Education Ministry's 2017 Education Tour here Sunday.

Kamalanathan was asked to comment on an incident where a Year Two pupil sustained a head injury after being hit by a wooden chair thrown by a teacher at a school in Penampang, Sabah, two days ago.

"Obviously, we do not want a recurrence of something like that. If you (the teachers) have a problem, it is important for you to talk to someone," he said.

On the participation of schoolchildren in triad activities in Selangor, he said the ministry would wait for the police to complete their investigations before taking appropriate action.

On the ministry's 2017 Education Tour, he said the programme was aimed at providing information to the public about the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 and its achievements to date. - Bernama