THE University is encouraging students to utilise the Students Counselling and Advisory services offered by the Division of Students Affairs.
The Director for Communication and Marketing, Mr Thabani Mpofu, assured students that the University counselling and advisory services uphold confidentiality and highest standards of professionalism.
“As a university, we offer counselling services through the Students Counselling and Advisory Services located at the Division of Student Affairs. The office, which is manned by full-time professional counsellors, offers free and confidential interventions to all students. These vary from individual counselling sessions, group counselling sessions for students with shared interests, to workshops for common campus life challenges such as Substance Abuse, Sexual and Reproductive Health, HIV and Aids, Depression, and Anxiety management,” he said.
The call follows recent incidents of suicide involving students who are studying online from the comfort of their homes.
“The Counselling and Advisory Services office works very closely with other service centres like the Chaplaincy, the NUST Clinic, Student Representative Council (SRC) and academic departments and faculties in providing effective and timely services to students.
“We encourage students to utilise the Students’ Counselling and Advisory office, which offers services on personal health and psychological concerns; inter/intrapersonal problems; academic pressures and financial challenges; family concerns including illness and bereavement; developmental issues such as relationships and anger management; transitional challenges like separation anxiety and phobia; anxiety; suicidal ideations; cultural diversity; abilities/disabilities diversity; Sexual and Reproductive Health issues and HIV and Aids information and support among others.”
Mr Mpofu said before the Covid-19 pandemic, the counselling services were easily accessible on campus.
However, adapting to the new normal, the University, working together with the students’ representative council (SRC) and in partnership with non-governmental organisations, will soon be running virtual awareness campaigns to support students who are studying online across the country.
“We appeal to parents and guardians to contact the University whenever they notice unusual behaviour of their children, who are our students, so that they can be assisted through Counselling and Advisory Services office,” said Mr Mpofu.