;The pandemic has been hard on the mental health of students. To offer psychological support, more than 1,000 government schools have started happiness zones in Jammu, an official informed on Tuesday, February 15.
As per the directions of the education ministry endorsed by the directorate of school education these zones have been created. More such zones will commence once schools reopen post-vacations, they said, as per a report in PTI.
"Acknowledging the importance of mental health, especially in the post-COVID pandemic scenario, more than 1,000 government schools of Jammu division have created happiness zones to provide safe and psychologically comfortable spaces within the school premises where students can talk about their feelings and emotions unhesitatingly and in a confidential manner," a senior officer said, as quoted in a report by PTI.
All schools from middle to higher secondary have been asked to create such zones by the directorate of school education. These zones will offer psychological support to students as per Manodarpan guidelines, the officials informed and added that trained counsellors from the counselling cells of these schools are offering their services in these happiness zones.
An initiative by the Ministry of Education, Mandorpan's objective is to provide students with psycho-social support and counselling for their mental health and well-being during the ongoing pandemic and beyond as well.
Regular capacity development programmes and even webinars for teachers, in collaboration with reliable institutions, so that they can develop counselling skills are being held by the counselling cells, the officials informed.
Students who are coming back to school after a long time might experience emotional behavioural issues like heightened levels of stress, anxiety and so on, said Ravi Shankar Sharma, Director of School Education. He added that they need to be ready to offer an environment to students that is healthy and psychologically safe. The happiness of children is linked with academic outcomes and to improve their attention and retention, the mental health of the students needs to be safeguarded, he added.
A culture of individualised guidance and counselling will be created by happiness zones in schools, shared Romesh Kumar Sharma, in-charge of the counselling cell.
