Culture & Entertainment · Malaysia Bureau
Schools urged to shift focus from grades to student mental health
Educational experts are calling for Malaysian schools to implement confidential wellbeing screening programmes staffed by trained counsellors rather than discipline teachers. The push reflects growing concerns about student mental health and the limitations of traditional academic assessment methods.
LSN Malaysia ·
Advocates for student welfare reform argue that schools must evolve beyond relying solely on report cards as measures of student progress, emphasising the need for structured mental health evaluations within educational institutions.
Proponents of the change contend that wellbeing screening programmes should operate independently from disciplinary frameworks to ensure students feel secure disclosing personal struggles. They stress that qualified counsellors—rather than discipline staff—should conduct these assessments to create an environment of trust and confidentiality.
The recommendation addresses concerns that many Malaysian students face undiagnosed mental health challenges that go undetected under conventional school reporting systems. Mental health professionals argue that early identification through proper screening can enable timely intervention and support.
Educational stakeholders have indicated that such programmes would complement existing academic structures while addressing the holistic development of students. Implementing trained counsellor-led screening initiatives would require investment in professional resources and revised school protocols to separate mental health assessments from punitive administrative processes.