In an announcement that marks a significant shift in education and public health policies, Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, ordered that all school institutions in the country, both public and private, must provide free psychological care as a mandatory part of the national education system.
The measure, which will be financed with resources from the national budget, aims to place the mental health of children and adolescents at the center of the national agenda, responding to the rise in emotional, social, and school coexistence issues.
This initiative is presented as one of the most ambitious measures recently implemented for student well-being to transform how mental health is addressed in the school environment, where it has traditionally been sidelined or viewed as a complement rather than an essential component of students’ overall development.
Free school psychological support funded by the Colombian government
According to the government’s announcement, the new education policy requires all schools in the country — both public and private — to provide psychological care services at no cost to families. The financing of this program will be covered by public resources from the national budget, meaning parents or guardians will not have to pay for this service.
Each educational institution will be required to have certified professional psychologists, not just school counselors with basic training. The intention is to ensure that students receive specialized and appropriate care when facing situations that may affect their emotional and psychological well-being.
President Petro has emphasized that this decision reflects a comprehensive well-being approach, in which the school is not only an academic space but also an environment where mental health and peaceful coexistence must be promoted.
Why is this policy necessary?
The measure comes in response to a context in which cases of anxiety, depression, bullying, student violence, and emotional crises among Colombian children and adolescents have increased. Educational authorities and mental health experts have pointed out that many of these problems worsen due to the lack of early intervention and professional support within schools.
The national government argues that the presence of psychologists in schools will allow for preventive intervention, helping to reduce coexistence problems, lower school dropout rates, and provide support to students facing stress, domestic violence, or social difficulties.
In addition, it is expected that the implementation of this service will help change school culture, promoting more respectful, empathetic environments focused on students’ emotional development.