The 2023 Secondary School Counselors Workshop organized by the Organization of Taiwan Education and Cultural, Malaysia, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), and the Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Malaysia, was held from November 11 to November 13 at Grand Swiss-Belhotel Melaka.
This fruitful 3-day workshop was designed to provide guidance and counseling-related knowledge and skills to all teachers and professional guidance counselors in Malaysia. A series of engaging courses and discussions were provided in the workshop, such as educational trends, challenges and transformation in the post-pandemic era, how to eat healthily, tips for emotional self-regulation, self-care for teachers and so on.
Mr. Beh Chew Nam, Executive Director of the Organization of Taiwan Education and Culture, Malaysia said despite the pandemic, the association has been organizing national training workshops to enhance school teachers' professionalism and counseling skills since 2016. He said that the workshop also allowed teachers to have a break and experience exchanges amidst the busyness of schedule. Teachers play an essential role in molding future leaders and spurring the country's development. They act as support systems for knowledge and mental health for their students.
Ms. Charlin Chang, the Director of the Education Division of TECO outlined that people's demands for mental support is increasing in the post-pandemic era. She added that Taiwan has been actively promoting school counseling and has enacted the Student Guidance and Counseling Act (SGCA) in 2014, which professionalizes school counseling and is essential to protecting students' right to receive guidance and counseling services in school. The Social and Emotional Learning is also promoted in schools to deepen and strengthen individuals' psychological quality and achieve the long-term goals of empowering one's life. She also emphasized that in an era of fast technology innovation, guidance counselors can make the best use of technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), to assist in student guidance and counseling work.
Professor Dr. Ewe Hong Tat, the president of UTAR said that many people experience mental health challenges in their lives nowadays, including students. As the demand for mental health support is surging, he hoped that more activities could be held to boost students' mental health levels.