30/04/2026
âFocus on School Counsellors, Not on Fancy Buildingsâ â a powerful thought inspired by Sudha Murty, who continues to show us what truly matters in education.
In todayâs system, we often get distracted by appearancesâlarge campuses, modern facilities, and impressive infrastructure. Yet, true education is not built with walls; it is built with care, empathy, and understanding. Children are not machines that only need classrooms and booksâthey are evolving minds and sensitive hearts, learning how to feel, cope, and understand themselves. This is why school counsellors matter far more than fancy buildings. A counsellor becomes the quiet support system a child needsâsomeone who listens, understands, and guides without judgment. While buildings may impress the eyes, counsellors heal what cannot be seen.
This perspective reminds us to focus on what truly shapes a childâs futureânot appearance, but emotional strength; not luxury, but understanding; not structure, but support. When a child feels safe and secure within, they can shine anywhere outside. From personal experience, even in schools where infrastructure was not ideal, it has been possible to nurture brilliant students. While buildings and digital environments have their place, it is the inner atmosphere that truly defines a school. However, it is also a reality that many parents are drawn towards impressive campuses, often overlooking the emotional wellbeing of children. In such environments, children can still struggle silently with emotional challenges.
As a psychologist and counsellor, this understanding becomes even deeperârecognizing how essential it is for schools to have dedicated counselling support. Todayâs children face pressures that previous generations rarely experiencedâacademic competition, social expectations, digital distractions, and emotional struggles. Behind a smiling face, a child may be dealing with anxiety, fear, loneliness, or confusion, and no matter how beautiful a school building is, it cannot understand or heal a childâs mind.
This is where school counsellors play a critical role. It is encouraging to see that the government has taken a positive step by making it mandatory for schools to have counsellors. This move will help many students become emotionally stable and better equipped to cope with daily pressures. True education lies not just in infrastructure, but in nurturing minds and supporting emotional wellbeing.
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