Agreement to train social workers in mental health inked

MUSCAT: The Ministry of Education signed a cooperation agreement with the Whispers of Silence Mental Health Clinic on Tuesday morning. The agreement is on the implementation of a training programme for psychologists and social workers in the mental health.

From the Ministry, Dr Abdullah bin Khamis Ambusaidi, Under-secretary of the Ministry for Education, signed the agreement with Basma bint Fakhri al Said, the owner of the mental health clinic, in the presence of Sana bint Hamad bin Saud al Busaidiyah, Adviser to the Minister and acting Directorgeneral of the Career Guidance and Counselling Centre. The agreement signing took place at the clinic’s main office in Athaiba.

Dr Abdullah said: “The signing of this agreement comes as a result of the continuous cooperation between the ministry and civil society institutions in providing professional development and training programmes for psychology specialists and social workers. The importance of this programme is that it enriches and develops the work of specialist, especially regarding the challenges that our students face in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and its effects on their mental health, so such programmes direct social workers and train them on how to deal with, guide and direct students in a way that ensures their psychological safety. We will endeavour to support such programmes in the future in cooperation with the various sectors in the country, both private and government in order to facilitate the work of mental health specialists in the ministry.”

Basma bint Fakhri said, “The signing of this agreement comes from our belief in the importance of providing psychological support and developing student awareness skills. That is why we sought to implement a training programme on mental health targeting psychology specialists and social workers in order to help them in educating students to be balanced and stable, with good psychological and social stability, to help them achieve academic excellence, and make them mature and ready to face the difficulties of life.

The programme is designed by the specialists in the clinic to implement it targeting a sample of social and psychological specialists from the governorates of Muscat, Al Dakhiliyah and South Al Batinah.

The programme will help psychology specialists and social workers educate students to be balanced and stable and ready to face the difficulties of life