KUALA LUMPUR: A series of mandatory psychological counselling sessions should be implemented nationwide for students to safeguard their mental health, says a former senior police officer.
Retired Senior Police Officers Association president Datuk Meor Check Hussien Mahayuddin said the Education Ministry should seriously consider sending psychologists to all schools to ensure students' mental health is adequately addressed.
"They should have the sessions every six months.
"I feel it is about time that it is done to prevent further violence and criminal acts in schools," he said when contacted on Wednesday (Oct 15).
He said that nowadays students are influenced by many media, especially social media, gaming, as well as movies and TV series.
We should minimise such influences to ensure that they do not get carried away and portray what they see on such media.
"It is vital for us to address the mental health of students to ensure they do not resort to violent acts in their daily lives, especially in schools," he added.
Rather, reactive authorities should be proactive, he said.
"We must do everything we can to protect the children," he stressed.
His remarks were in response to the incident at SMK Bandar Utama 4, where a 16-year-old girl was brutally stabbed on Tuesday (Oct 14).
