More than 1,000 new psychology graduates are required in HCM City each year, mostly as counsellors, but the number of students opting for the stream is very low.

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Tran Anh Tuan, deputy head of the HCM City Centre for Forecasting Manpower Needs and Labour Market Information, made the statement, adding that as a result there was a shortage in the work place.

Tran Tuan Lo, head of the City-based Van Hien University\'s psychology faculty, said this was because students had not recognised its importance yet.

Nearly 10 years after the course was started, his faculty only received around 40 applicants a year though the qualifying score was fairly low, he said.

Others like the City-based Social Sciences and Humanities University and Da Lat University too got few applications, he said.

Meanwhile, many industries were in need of counsellors, he added.

Phung Thi Nguyet Thu, deputy head of the Mac Dinh Chi High School, said the role of counsellors was becoming very important because of the pressures in a rapidly developing society.

Schools need counsellors to help students with problems related to studies, exams, and relationships and act as bridges between schools and families.

However, many of them lack counsellors.

Hospitals too need a large number of counsellors.

Dr Trinh Duc Thang, head of the Psychiatric Hospital, said all kinds of hospitals needed psychologists to counsel patients.

Nguyen Thi Tam, head of Hon Viet Company, a counselling centre, said high schools should orient their students in this stream to help them know its importance.