Now, Counselling centres set up for students in 10 Madurai Government schools to keep kids 'happy'

The Madurai Corporation in association with HCL Foundation and MS Chellamuthu Trust and Research Foundation has, for the very first time, launched 'Happy Schooling' programme at 10 Corporation schools in order to promote the emotional well-being and academic excellence among the students by providing them counselling.

During the first phase, the 'Happy Schooling' initiative has been implemented at 10 Corporation schools in Madurai — Navalar Somasundara Bharathiyar Corporation Higher Secondary School, Velliveethiyar Corporation Higher Secondary School, Ponmudiyar Corporation Higher Secondary School, Kasthuribai Gandhi Corporation Higher Secondary School, Thiru Vi Ka Corporation Higher Secondary School, Pandian Nedunchezhian Corporation Higher Secondary School, Sundararajapuram Corporation Higher Secondary School, Kambar Corporation Higher Secondary School, Sethupathi Pandithurai Corporation Higher Secondary School and Elango Corporation Higher Secondary School.

The Corporation Educational Officer M Rajendran said that the programme has been introduced for the very first time in the Corporation schools with the initiative taken by theme Corporation Commissioner Aneesh Sekhar. He said that the main objective of this programme is to make school a happy environment for the students by identifying and resolving the problems of the students through counselling. Explaining the programme, Rajendran said that based on the suggestions of the headmasters (HM), one teacher from each school were selected for this program.

He said that training was given to these teachers by resource persons about identifying the students with problems and counselling techniques. He explained that a booklet in this regard has also been distributed to these teachers. He said that as a next step of the initiative, a Students Support Centre has been set up in a room inside all these 10 schools. "The teachers who are selected for this initiative would be using the Students Support Centre at the schools to give counselling for the students. The teachers would be collecting the list of the students who show sudden behavioural changes, sudden bad performance in tests, absent for a long time in their concerned schools. After collecting the list, the teachers would be counselling for the students using a friendly approach to identify and resolve their problems. If necessary counselling would also be given to the parents of the students," he explained.

He said that a separate file would be maintained by the teachers for all such students in order to study their progress. This Happy Schooling programme would be an effective method to resolve the issues faced by the students and to make them concentrate on studies, noted Rajendran. The Students Support Centre which has been set up at these schools would be soon inaugurated by the Commissioner Aneesh Sekhar, added Rajendran.