In my view, counselling is not the main role of a teacher, but teachers should have some basic counselling skills. In many schools, especially in contexts affected by conflict or displacement, professional counsellors are not always available. Because teachers interact with students every day, they are often the first people who notice emotional or behavioural problems. Therefore, teachers should be able to provide basic support by listening carefully, showing empathy, and guiding students to reflect on their actions.

However, there are also risks if teachers take on too much responsibility without proper training. A teacher might misunderstand a student’s emotional situation or give advice that is not appropriate. In more serious cases, students may need professional psychological support that teachers are not qualified to provide.

In my experience, schools like mine do not always have a professional counsellor. Teachers often try to support students through conversation, guidance, and building trust. In the future, I believe schools would benefit from short training programs on basic counselling skills such as active listening, empathy, and effective questioning. It would also be helpful if schools could connect with external organisations or professionals who can provide specialised support when needed.