Ronald Lloré, a psychologist from the Department of Student Counseling (DECE) at Unidad Educativa “6 de Octubre” in Huaquillas, has been recognized for his work supporting students’ emotional well-being. The recognition was given during the first edition of the “Recognition of Good Practices by DECE Professionals” event.
The event was organized with support from the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture, as well as partner organizations such as Universidad del Hemisferio, OEI, Crisfe, and others involved in teacher training. The goal is to highlight and strengthen the work that DECE professionals do to promote student well-being.
Lloré’s project centers on an observation form designed to detect early signs of psychosocial risks among students aged 10 to 17. The tool consists of 12 behavioral items and is used by teachers to identify issues such as domestic violence, suicidal thoughts, depression, teenage pregnancy, and other factors affecting students’ performance and emotional health.
“This form allows us to detect warning signs and activate support routes—home visits, psychosocial follow-up, referrals, and joint work with families. The objective is for our students to know they are not alone and that school is also a safe space,” said Lloré.
The process includes individual and group support sessions, creation of peer support groups for students facing similar challenges, emotional resilience workshops, vocational guidance, artistic activities such as music—all aimed at providing outlets for expression and healing.
Looking ahead, one focus is the implementation of the “Mírame” project. This initiative aims to foster respect, empathy, and recognition through art forms like music, dance, and drama while strengthening student leadership in preventing psychosocial risks.
For Lloré, institutional recognition is secondary: “The greatest reward is when a student says: thank you teacher. When they make better decisions or move away from violent environments or discover their life goals—that’s what really matters.”
He also shared a message with colleagues: “To educate is an act of love. Listening or asking how a student feels or offering encouragement can change their life. To my fellow DECE professionals I say: let’s make our work more visible; let’s keep driving initiatives forward; let’s keep building paths and caring for what matters most—our students.”
