Mental health support in Kerala schools hits roadblock as government defers counsellor appointments

Kollam, Kerala: The government will not appoint the 1,000 psycho-social counsellors it had announced for schools to listen to students’ problems and provide solutions this academic year. The appointments have been deferred due to the inability to allocate sufficient funds, including salaries.

The counselling programme was launched for students from Class 5 to 12 with the aim of highlighting abuses children face, providing mental support to survivors, and improving mental health in schools. Currently, only 1,012 of the 8,579 schools in the state, catering to around 3.1 lakh students, have psycho-social counsellors. These counsellors are required to provide services at three or four nearby schools once a week. However, many schools have not yet received counsellors.

In schools with around 2,000 students, the existing counsellor cannot attend to all pupils. Mental health recovery for children identified during counselling depends on follow-up sessions. When a single counsellor has to cover almost all schools in a panchayat, follow-up counselling opportunities are often missed.

Next academic year, the government plans to appoint 1,012 counsellors. An allocation of Rs 51 crore has been made, of which around Rs 30 crore will be required for salaries. The remaining funds can be used to provide basic amenities, including dedicated counselling rooms. Currently, schools that have counsellors often lack separate rooms to ensure confidentiality. Counsellors frequently conduct sessions in staff rooms, computer labs, or libraries, where privacy is limited, and many students hesitate to discuss their problems openly.