Ministry of Education has inaugurated the Psychological First Aid Helpline (1484) for students, today. Supported by UNICEF & WHO, this helpline was inaugurated by the First Lady Fazna Ahmed in a ceremony held today in Meeruma.
The main purpose of establishing this helpline is to ensure that each and every child has access to Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). Likewise, it also seeks to strengthen the school counseling program, provide an official means for students to seek MHPSS, and make use of existing counselors to offer MHPSS to kids across the nation. In addition, it strives to identify and support kids who can get support at the school level, assure access to assistance, facilitate early intervention, and decrease the number of students who need clinical intervention.
Mental health is an integral component of health and well-being and influences academic, social, and economic outcomes across the lifespan. Schools are an ideal setting to promote mental health for children and adolescents, providing an opportunity to reach large groups of children during their formative years of development. Adolescence, especially, is a period of rapid development during which individuals experience profound physical, social, and psychological changes during which support systems need to be strengthened to cater to their mental health needs. Following the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government and partners have been working together on a number of programs on mental health promotion for the school community and this helpline will supplement the ongoing efforts.
The helpline will be activated on June 18, 2023, and will only be used to provide psychological first aid to students. It should not be used in emergencies that require medical intervention. Trained counselors will be attending to the calls at the helpline. The service will be provided between 15:00 – 21:00 hrs every day except for Fridays.
target="_blank"
target="_blank"
