Jammu teachers and staff to double up as counselling coordinators in bid to improve students' mental health 

The Directorate of School Education Jammu (DSEJ) has nominated teaching staff for the positions of district and zonal counselling coordinators. The staff nominated had relevant qualifications in the subject of Psychology and the experience as well. The move is an attempt to implement the guidelines of  'Manodarpan', an initiative to ensure mental health wellbeing of the students by the Union Education Ministry.

Sustainable quality interventions for ensuring mental health, child protection and career development of students are the objectives of this measure. The nominated staff will also undertake supervision of the counselling activity calendar issued by the DSEJ, covering various issues like psychological first aid, mental health, drug abuse, child protection, career counselling and psychosocial issues, stated a PTI report.

The Director of School Education Jammu, Ravi Shankar Sharma has said that further training of these counsellors will be undertaken to polish their skills. Twenty teaching staff have been nominated as district counselling coordinators and district counselors, while ninety-eight staff members have been nominated as zonal counselling coordinators for coordinating counseling. The counselling activities will be carried out in the field, while the staff will also be attending their regular school duties.

Citing the need for psychological and mental welfare of individuals, Director Sharma also stated that the NEP highlights this importance as well. And he hoped that better handling of the issue will now be undertaken by these nominated coordinators, as mentioned in the PTI report.