PETALING JAYA: Boosting the number of counsellors at all public universities and developing digital tools to access mental health support are among the measures that will be used to tackle stress and burnout among students.
According to the Higher Education Ministry, it is also looking at developing a holistic guideline on mental health for both public and private institutions that will cover prevention, early intervention, treatment and recovery.
“We support the development of an integrated digital mental health system at the higher learning institution (IPT) level to enable students to access support more quickly, easily and without stigma.
“We also help with the training and professional development of all IPT counsellors so that they are always aware of current issues and modern intervention techniques,” the ministry told The Star.
This comes as the ministry takes note of student mental health issues with burnout, anxiety and stress, especially from academic and financial pressures, as well as challenges of future career prospects.
“These problems can be caused by various factors such as environmental changes, academic pressures and the cost of living.”
In conjunction with National Counselling Month and World Mental Health Day, more than 245 mental health-related programmes and activities were implemented by IPT psychology officers and counsellors in all 20 public universities throughout October last year.
The ministry also collaborates with other departments and agencies to assess the level of mental health of youth and implement intellectual programmes that focus on mental health.
Several initiatives have been established, including free counselling services through counselling units at all public universities, mental health intervention programmes as well as financial and welfare assistance.
“For example, we have introduced the Minda Sihat and Mental Health Literacy and Psychological First Aid programmes to strengthen mental and emotional resilience among students.
“In addition, we have also collaborated with researchers from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Malaysian Public University Counselling Council and Malaysian Public University Health Council to develop the Higher Education Institution Student Mental Health Module – Deal with Stress, Depression and Anxiety.”
The module is used as a reference for psychological officers and counsellors in managing the mental health issues of university students in a more practical, effective and holistic way.
