State Council of Educational Research & Training (SCERT), Nagaland has signed a Memorandum of Undertaking (MoU) with St. Joseph University, Dimapur for collaboration on school counseling at SCERT, Kohima on September 18.
According to DIPR report, director, SCERT, Kevirale-ü Kerhuo mentioned that a diploma course was introduced for the first time in 2018. With this introduction, SCERT, Nagaland was the first SCERT in India to introduce a Diploma in School Counselling and later the duration of the course was extended from 6 months to 9 (nine) months.
Further, the duration was extended through a State Cabinet approval to one year.
Kerhuo said that the primary objective of the course was to train teachers and to provide professionally trained School Counsellors to ensure that there were at least a male and female trained School Counsellors available in every government school in Nagaland.
With the enhancement of the duration of the Diploma course, she added that SCERT is in the process of reviewing the existing curriculum and development of a new syllabus. The SCERT Nagaland is trying to integrate the Naga Indigenous Methods and Techniques of dealing with the modern world of complexities, stress and anxieties in the present day living. She also stressed on counseling to be made an integral part of the school curriculum which will help every student in development and will enhance their academic performances.
The director further informed that the School Counseling Cell, SCERT has already trained 105 teachers as School Counsellors and they will be launching a new batch of diploma course which would help in providing more trained School Counsellors to Government schools in the days to come.
Meanwhile, Kerhuo thanked the St. Joseph’s University, for their efforts and hoped that the MoU would help in professionalising school counseling in the State and that it would be able to provide a better quality of training through collaboration with the university.
Vice Chancellor, St. Joseph’s University Chumoukedima, Dr. D. Gnanadurai said that school counseling was essential as it addresses the social, emotional, and academic needs of students, leading to a holistic approach to overall student success.
HoD, Department of Psychology, St. Joseph’s University, Dr. Watinaro Longkumer, mentioned that the collaboration between the department and the University was a welcoming step towards strengthening the two institutions through exchange of knowledge and information.
The program was chaired by Professor and Head, Guidance & Counseling Cell, Dr. Zavise Rume and Reader, SCERT, Medemmongla Jamir presented concluding remarks, which was followed by the signing of the MoU between the Department and the University.