Toll free counselling facility for students and teachers

GOTHATAONE MOENG
Staff Writer | Friday April 13, 2012 00:00

 

The centre is to be known as the Youth Counselling on Air (YOCA), and will run from 10am to 10pm daily. Principal public relations officer in the ministry Oarabile Phefo said they opened the facility mid-last year to help students deal with issues in their social and academic lives. He said if properly utilised the facility will be useful for both teachers and students.

'We have had students commit suicide; we also have cases of drug and alcohol abuse and the facility is a way in which we can help our students,' he said. He added that it would be most beneficial to students who need help but have no support structures; as well as those that are reluctant to deal with counsellors face-to-face.

Phefo said that trained counsellors, who were recruited through the Special Support Department, man the counselling facility. Recently, the Minister of Education and Skills Development, Pelomoni Venson-Moitoi told Parliament that she is aware of the allegations of the use of illegal drugs (such as marijuana and cocaine) in a number of secondary schools.  She said her ministry, through the guidance and counselling programme in schools 'offers different interventions to the affected students with the view towards rehabilitating them.'

The facility can be reached by dialling the short code 17250 and is accessible via all mobile network service providers as well as landlines.