HC for having psychologists in all educational institutions

The High Court has issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why directives should not be given to recruit counsellors and clinical psychologists in educational institutions across the country.

The High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman issued the rule on Sunday following a petition, reports UNB.

Advocate Farhad Uddin Ahmed Bhuiya, who filed the petition, stood for himself while Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukdar represented the state.

On November 24, 2019, the writ petition was filed with the High Court Division seeking recruitment of clinical psychologists in all educational institutions.

According to the writ petition, reluctance of recruiting a clinical psychologist and counsellor in all educational institutions, is contradictory to the article 17 (ka, kha), 18 (1,2) and article 32 of the constitution.

The writ said every citizen of Bangladesh has the right to get proper education and health service and the state should take effective measures to ensure it. 

But drug abuse, suicide attempt, moral degradation, reckless lifestyle, inattentiveness in study is widespread among students. That is why psychologists and counsellors are needed in every educational institution, it added. 

Chairman of the University Grants Commission, secretaries to the Education Ministry, Public Administration Ministry, Health and Family Welfare Ministry, Primary and Mass Education Ministry, and director general of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education were made respondents to the rule.