For the first time in the country, a certificate course in school counselling for the teachers, initiated by Nagaland SCERT, was inaugurated at SCERT Conference Hall in Kohima on Monday. The 6 month certificate course in school counselling was inaugurated by Rtd Director SCERT and former member NPSC, Vipralhou Kesiezie at a function in which he was the chief guest.
Kesiezie in his address said school counselling courses were a long felt need to guide and nurture school children with love and care because the modern world was complicated. He appreciated SCERT Nagaland for introducing the certificate course in school counselling, and congratulated the SCERT director T. Sekhose and Dr. Zavise Rume the nodal officer guidance and counselling cell SCERT for making the course a reality.
Stressing on the importance of counselling in schools, Kesiezie pointed out that many students were disinterested in their studies, dropping out at alarming rates and getting involved in crimes like robberies, extortion, kidnapping and threat and intimidation year by year. These juveniles and youngsters mostly have backgrounds of broken homes, failing in their studies and then dropping out, exploited childhoods, deprivation of love and care, abusive childhoods, poverty and unemployment. He reminded the people gathered that a child who was ignored by us today could potentially become a criminal in the future.
He urged the teachers and parents to nurture all children who come to them with love and care and not to neglect and ignore the responsibilities entrusted to them as a small negligence today could cost the whole society dearly tomorrow. He said this was the time to save children and heal the wounds society had inflicted on their minds and bodies. He reminded the teachers that they were the greatest influences on the students’ lives.
Nagaland SCERT director T. Sekhose, in his address, said that today people were banking and investing much on a child’s academic achievement while failing to address the core and inner needs of a child. He said today’s children not only face pressure from parents, peer groups and friends but they also face an onslaught of multimedia and technological revolution pressure to perform. He said SCERT aimed to train one male and female teacher from all the schools in the state so that they could address issues of children.
The director said the certificate course in school counselling was the first course launched not only in the state but in India, making it a historic and unique.
On the sidelines of the programme, the Nodal Officer Guidance and Counselling Cell SCERT and former president of All Nagaland Counsellor Association, Dr. Zavise Rume said the proposal for introducing the school counselling course was proposed in 2008 and finally the state government had approved it. When queried about the objective of this course, Dr. Rume said that the need for counselling in the present day increases due to complexities, stresses and emotional anxiety among students. Due to this, the government recognized the need for counselling in schools.
He said that initially, the training will start with government secondary schools teachers, then teachers of GMS, GPS and private schools.
The programme was chaired by Jt. Director Moatemjen; an opening prayer was said by Sr. Pastor Baptist Mission Church Kohima, Rev. Moa Longchari; a special song was presented by Mesenti UDA DIET Chiechama. 27 teachers from various district of the state participated in the first phase of the 6 month certificate course.