Counselling, investigative units to be set up in 17 State universities
View(s):The government is in the process of setting up counselling/investigative units in all 17 State universities as part of plans to address students’ mental health needs.
Deputy Minister of Higher Education Madura Seneviratne said the programme is being expedited after a student committed suicide due to continued ragging by seniors. The counselling and investigative units will also assist students who may face various mental health issues such as
anxiety and depression.
“We started the programme before the student’s suicide, but now we will expedite it to cover all 17 State universities,” the deputy minister said.
He said at present there is a unit in the University Grants Commission which looks into complaints of undergraduates and provides them with assistance if they need but it has not been very effective.
“There are over 1,000 incidents brought before it but only around a 100 were settled,” he said.
He said the new units to be set up inside the universities will consist of counsellors and other specialised personnel who can assist students who reach out to them.
“It is not always a case of only ragging but there are other mental health issues that students encounter and so such facilities must be available,” he said, adding that some students face issues with lecturers and in classrooms and they too need assistance.
Sometimes students also face mental health issues such as depression if they do not score well in examinations or face other personal problems and need assistance within the institution. -DWI
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