A seminar on 'Becoming a School Psychologist' in the Educational and Counseling Psychology department of the Dhaka University has brought to the fore a very crucial and pertinent issue. Unfortunately the issue has virtually gone unaddressed in Bangladesh for decades. A school psychologist is now playing a vital role in moulding young learners into responsible and sane citizens in western countries. Sadly, no school in Bangladesh has yet appointed a psychologist to deal with psyche of its students. Even the Education Ministry has not yet thought about it.
Happily, the crucial role a school psychologist can play in fulfilling the unmet needs of young students at their childhood and adolescent days was highlighted for the first time in the country by autism expert and advisory council member of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Saima Wazed Hossain. Speaking at the seminar, she quite rightly stressed the need for psychological intervention for development of mental health of school children in Bangladesh.
Saima said: "The role of psychologists is important for the development of mental health of school children". Also the Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Autism and Neuro Development disabilities in Bangladesh and daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, she suggested appointment of psychologists in schools of the country.
It is unfortunate that most parents of school children too are not aware of do's and don'ts in dealing with the young minds. This writer the other day found an expert advising a parent to see 'Animal Kingdom' in the National Geographic TV Channel to get lessons for handling their own kids-human beings-in the way parents of animals do in their habitat. "Do as they do, " he advised.
Years ago, this scribe also saw a parent fretting over handling of a girl child in Class 1 in Maple Leaf International School in Dhaka. The child was naturally crazy for going to children's parks of the capital to enjoy various sports events but her mother just paid no heed to her plea, saying that she was too busy. Once the kid wanted to attend the school's annual sports meet and again she was rebuffed as her mother angrily told her not to go there as she could not even learn how to run in a sports event. When told that she could even see her classmates taking part in various events, her mother just beat her physically saying that there was no use for her to go there.
In this way, the child began developing hate towards her mom. All on a sudden, she stopped going to the Maple Leaf School although she stood first in her class examination. And it took nearly five to six years to put the child on the right track! Had there been a school psychologist, the mother could understand that she, not her child, suffered from mental aberration. This is only one incident out of thousands taking place in Bangladesh daily as none has ever given serious thought to appointing psychologists in established schools in Bangladesh.
All children in the 4-10 age groups in their schools must come under monitoring and supervision of child psychologists in order that they grow with healthy minds and body. In fact, parents of these children also need to be taught how to behave with their children. Teachers of this age-group students need to undergo special psychology training to teach their young students with motherly care and meeting their child-like natural needs.
Whatever gloomy social scenario is looming ahead for Bangladesh today with children becoming delinquent can be attributed to complete apathy towards the vital issue of child psychology, now being ignored in the country and highlighted by Saima Wazed Putul the other day quite aptly.
arjayster@gmail.com
