Eshgi Bagirov, director of the State Agency for Preschool and General Education (SAPGE), stated during a briefing for journalists that school psychologists will also be involved in the certification process in the coming years.
It is interesting to know how necessary it is to certify school psychologists and how this step can affect the quality of psychological services in the education system in general?
Gunay Akbarova, a member of the Public Council under the Ministry of Science and Education, told AzEdu.az on the topic that it is essential to measure quality and set standards in such a responsible field as the activity of school psychologists:
“I evaluate this issue as a positive and necessary step in general. Because the role of a school psychologist is no longer just “a specialist called when there is a problem”. Today, he is one of the main figures directly involved in the student's emotional development, behavior regulation, and even academic success. In such a responsible area, measuring quality and setting standards is inevitable.
Looking at world experience, we see that in many countries, for example, in the education systems of countries such as the USA and Great Britain, school psychologists regularly undergo accreditation, professional development programs, and evaluation mechanisms. This serves two main purposes: first, updating knowledge and skills, and second, maintaining professional standards. That is, this process is structured more as a “development mechanism” than as a “check”.”
The certification process can transform a psychologist from a “position on paper” into a specialist with real influence:
“Some events that have occurred in our schools in recent years also show that psychological services sometimes start late, or are not effectively integrated into the process at all. This means that there are both methodological and practical gaps within the system. Certification can be an opportunity to identify and eliminate these gaps. If properly structured, this process can transform a psychologist from a “position on paper” into a specialist with real influence.
On the other hand, this step can also positively affect the quality of psychologists' work. A specialist preparing for certification inevitably updates their knowledge, learns new approaches, and begins to approach their work more critically. This directly affects the work process with students: more accurate diagnostics, more appropriate intervention methods, and more reliable communication are established. The student also feels that the person in front of them is not just “someone who listens”, but a professional who can truly help.”
If certification consists only of a test, it will be difficult to create real change - an effective approach requires the evaluation of practical skills and real situations:
“But there is an important point here. The certification process should not be only in the form of an exam. If it consists only of a test, it will be difficult to create real change. A more effective model should also include the evaluation of practical skills and real situations. Moreover, if it is applied together with mentoring and continuous professional development components, its impact will be much greater.
If this step is implemented correctly and systematically, it can lead to serious positive changes in terms of both student safety and their healthy psychological development, in addition to increasing the quality of psychological services in schools. And frankly, in today's reality, this is no longer a choice, but a necessity.”
