A program for the inauguration of the 3rd batch of the 9-month diploma in school counselling was inaugurated at SIEMAT Hall, SCERT, Kohima on 2nd September 2021. The program is sponsored by Samagra Shiksha, Nagaland.
Professor & Head, Guidance & Counselling Cell, SCERT, Dr. Zavise Rume said that guidance and counselling program started only in the 1980s and gradually it has become the most important cell for activities in SCERT. The proposal for upgrading the diploma course from 6 months to 9 months was approved in July 2017 and SCERT Nagaland was the first State in the whole country to approve school counselling in 2018. Rume also said that the need for counselling is universal, it is not a mere problematic oriented activity. Counselling is not only needed by people who are facing problems. He also said that every child will be required to go under counselling and that counselling is an integral part of school education. Rume further said that the need for professional counselling is increasing in the present complexities of modern day lives and every child is experiencing different kinds of mental stress. Therefore, there is a need to focus on psychological, emotional and physiological well being of children and this program will offer a hands on skill based practical course which will ensure that the counselling practices will be integrated to the daily teaching learning process in schools.
Principal Director, School Education, Shanavas. C, IAS, in his inaugural speech said that the pandemic has created a very tough time for everyone especially the students. He said that it is an open fact that students from different kind of economic backgrounds usually study in government schools and they all go through a different kind of challenges. He also mentioned that adolescence is a very tricky phase where children at that age can be influenced into bad habits and whatever incidents that an adolescent faces in this phase stays with her/him throughout their life.
Therefore, he asked the teachers present in the program to be good listeners and to emphasize with the students. Shanavas also said that counselling can help a lot of children especially in today's world where there are many students dealing with anxiety issues, depression and suicidal tendencies. He further said that when the teachers present go back to their respective schools, there will be a lot of expectations from them and they should lean to those expectations and asked them to be compassionate and passionate about counselling because they are dealing with children who are the future of the society.
Deputy Mission Director, Samagra Shiksha, Kelhikha Kenye in his speech appreciated the department of SCERT for coming up this school Counselling programme. He said that Nagaland is the first in the country to have this kind of Counselling programme and so all this is happening because of the dedication and hard work of the SCERT Department.
He also said this year the Government of India has allotted 60 seats for in service government teachers to take up the diploma course. He further said that Samagra Shiksha missions' vision is one day the trained teachers will be deputed as full time counselling teachers in all the district.
The program was chaired by Dr. Zavise Rume and a welcome note was presented by Addl. Director & HOD, SCERT, N. Chumchanbeni Kikon and Research Associate, SCERT, Medemmongla Jamir gave the concluding remarks.
(Takum, IA & Moamenla, IA)
