Counsellors have attended to about 1,938 students and 207 teachers in the Tropical Cyclone Yasa affected areas in the Northern Division.

Minister for Education Rosy Akbar said the programme was conducted in 22 northern schools which included 16 primary schools, 5 secondary schools and 1 special school.

It is a joint initiative between the ministry and and non-government organisations.

Ms Akbar made the revelation in parliament on Wednesday.

She said this would continue in other parts of the Northern Division soon.

“In terms of providing psychosocial support, the reason why we do that is to bring about a sense of normalcy, a sense of safety for our people, calming our people down, creating that social connectors that is needed and of course, hope,” she said.

“While the families tried to put their lives back together, we, the ministry concentrated on the traumatic impact that had on the children which probably would have gone unnoticed.

“But well before school started, we engaged our Substance Abuse and Advisory Council, Medical Service Pacific and Power Pacific, the correctional service and our seven recently trained full counsellors in the North to conduct counselling support programme in the Northern Division from 18 to 29 January this year, and this was for teachers and students.”

She said it was the Ministry’s responsibility to ensure that children get the support to deal with the trauma.

“Counselling will need to continue for some time, and we intend to put our seven trained counsellors in clusters and reduce the teaching loads, so they can attend to students and teachers from the schools in their cluster,” she said.

“A total of 350 heads of schools have also undergone training and counselling and we expect them to take a lead role in providing support to their students and teachers.”

She added that the ministry would continue conducting further training for all heads of schools to be specialised in counselling.

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