SHAH ALAM, Oct 29 - A total of 691 teachers nationwide have been identified as requiring immediate psychological intervention following a screening exercise conducted by the Education Ministry involving 82,126 teachers.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek said the figure represented 0.84 per cent of all teachers who underwent the Psychological Well-being Inventory (IKPsi) screening, Berita Harian reported.
Of the 691 teachers, 636 were assessed as having moderate psychological well-being, 32 were in the moderately low category and another 23 were in the low category.
However, the vast majority of teachers, or 99.16 per cent, recorded good levels of psychological well-being, with 50,869 classified in the high category and 30,566 in the moderately high category.
"Overall, these findings show that the majority of teachers who underwent the screening have good levels of psychological well-being. However, the Education Ministry will continue to provide attention and intervention to teachers identified as requiring support," she said.
Fadhlina said this in a written parliamentary reply published on the Parliament portal in response to a question from Datuk Muslimin Yahya (PN-Sungai Besar) concerning mental health issues among teachers and the ministry's intervention measures.
She said teachers identified as requiring assistance would receive support through individual and group counselling, psychological assessments, as well as stress and emotional management programmes.
The interventions would also address financial difficulties, serious debt problems, work performance issues and mental health concerns, depending on individual needs.
In crisis cases, psychological assistance would be provided to stabilise teachers' emotions and help them continue with their personal lives and careers.
Meanwhile, the ministry has allocated a total of RM200 million, including an additional RM100 million, to upgrade teachers' rooms nationwide.
Fadhlina said the initiative was aimed at providing a more comfortable and conducive working environment, thereby supporting the physical, emotional and psychological well-being of educators.
She stressed that the ministry would continue strengthening its psychological and counselling services to ensure teachers' welfare and well-being remained protected.
