PANAJI
The State government on Thursday notified the ‘Mukhyamantri Samupadeshan Yojana’ to identify students undergoing mental and physical stress and provide solace and safe outlets to release their stress, anguish, grievances, bad habits, feelings of unrest or neglect, or family issues.
Under the scheme, the government will appoint counsellors who will handle the students in a confidential and supportive space called ‘Super School’ that would be set up, ensuring youth-friendly counselling services in secondary and higher secondary schools.
The scheme, to be implemented through the Goa Education Development Corporation, replaces the existing scheme “Scheme for providing counselling to the students in the Government and Government Aided Institutions (Secondary and Higher Secondary)”.
“The objectives of the scheme is to spot the students undergoing mental, physical stress and provide solace, safe vents to release their stress, anguish, grievance, guilt or feeling of unrest/complaint of neglect, confidential space through specialised counsellors in a supportive and purposeful manner, and assist the distressed students to think more clearly and positively and develop the skills to find their way forward,” Director of Education Shailesh Zingade said.
The counsellors will also discuss and assist students with adjusting to the school environment, life transitions and changes, difficulties in family relationships, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, thoughts of suicide, trauma, and other feelings that cause discomfort.
As announced in the State Budget 2024“25, the number of counsellors and supervisors will be increased to 175 under the scheme. This includes increasing counsellors from the existing 77 to 150, and increasing the number of supervisors from 19 to 25.
Zingade said that the counsellor is an important human resource within the school setting to cater to the emotional well-being of students and that, through training and supervision, the counsellors’ capacities will be enhanced to provide efficient and effective counselling for the students.
