Four-day NCERT capacity building programme concludes at JKBOSE

50 State Resource Persons of Kashmir trained under School Health and Wellness Programme

SRINAGAR, October 10: The four-day Capacity Building programme for Master Trainers of School Health and Wellness Programme (SHWP), under Ayushman Bharat scheme of the Government of India concluded here at Jammu & Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) campus Srinagar. Organised under the aegis of National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), New Delhi, this workshop focused on the successful implementation of the School Health and Wellness Programme (SHWP) in Jammu and Kashmir by imparting orientation and training to the UT level Master Trainers who shall further train two teachers in each school designated as Health and Wellness Ambassadors to reach every student. About 50 Master Trainers drawn from School Education Department, SCERT, DIETs and Health Department of JKUT representing all the 10 districts of Kashmir Division were trained during this programme.

Prof. Dinesh Prasad Saklani, Director, NCERT was the chief guest on this occasion whereas Pratyanshu Kumar Mandal , Secretary NCERT, was the Guest of Honour. In his address, Prof Saklani underscored the importance of cultural and ethical rootedness in the upbringing of children, especially the benefits of exercising mindfulness and Ayurveda. “Connect to the home environment of the children to get a fuller view of their mindset and of the challenges that trouble their smooth growth as  adults. NEP 2020 emphasizes cross-linkages and coming together of Health and Education departments shall go a long way in ensuring robust physical and mental health of the learners,” he added. Prof Mandal emphasised the crucial importance of mental health, the interventions and techniques required to assess the mental well being of students in the present times.

Prof. Parikshat Singh Manhas Chairperson, JKBOSE conveyed his gratitude to Prof. Dinesh Prasad Saklani for gracing the culmination ceremony with his august presence. In his message he hoped that it would be a watershed moment in implementing SHWP in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.

Manisha Sarin, Secretary, JKBOSE, in her message, lauded the efforts of the Academic Division, JKBOSE for organising this event in which all the senior functionaries of NCERT interacted with the participants.

Eminent resource persons for this workshop included:  Dr. Indu Grewal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, Prof. Dinesh Kumar, Head Planning and Monitoring Division, & Dean Research, Prof. Gauri Srivastava, Project Coordinator, National Population Education Programme, NCERT, Prof Varda M. Nikalje, Dr. Bijaya Kumar Malik, Dr Jitendra Nagpal, Dr Satya Bhushan, Dr Harish Kumar Meena. Others who were prominently present on this occasion include Prof Aijaz Ahmed Hakak, Joint Secretary Secrecy & Administration KD, Dr. Harish Kumar Meena, Programme Coordinator, NPEP, NCERT, Naila Neelofar, Asstt. Director Academics and Ms. Aliya Qayoom, Asstt. Director Academics.

Earlier the workshop was inaugurated by Prof. Sudhir Singh, Director Academics, JKBOSE, who underscored the crucial role of teachers in a student’s life. “Attitude of a teacher can make or mar students’ experiences in their school life. It takes a special effort to understand a student’s psychology,” he added. In her keynote address,Prof. Gauri Srivastava, Project Coordinator, National Population Education Programme, NCERT, provided the participants a bird’s-eye view of the health scenario in the country and enlightened them about the various strategies adopted under SHWP to leave no school-going child behind in terms of health and wellness.

Shri Hem Raj Pakhroo, Joint Director, JKSCERT and Dr. Yasir Hamid Sirwal, Deputy Director, Academics, JKBOSE, highlighted the achievements made by the UT of Jammu and Kashmir in the School Health and Wellness campaign. Dr. Arif Jan, Deputy Director Academics, JKBOSE, formally welcomed the guests in the workshop.

The components of the workshop included brainstorming, participatory sessions, discussion, activities, etc on key areas of school health and wellness like implementation and monitoring of SHWP in light of NEP 2020, gender equality, nutrition, health and sanitation, value and responsible citizenship, promotion of healthy lifestyle, safe use of internet and social media, reproductive health and HIV prevention, etc.

The ceremony concluded with distribution of certificates to the participants.This NCERT sponsored workshop was coordinated by Dr. Arif Jan & Dr. Yassir Hamid Sirwal, Deputy Directors Academics JKBOSE, and Dr. Harish Kumar Meena, Programme Coordinator, NPEP, NCERT. The entire four-day proceedings were conducted by Iftikar Imran, Academic Officer JKBOSE.

As schools play a critical role in helping students establish lifelong healthy behaviours, school-based health promotion activities have been incorporated as a part of the Health and Wellness component of the Ayushman Bharat Programme. The themes of the framework include: growing up healthy, emotional well-being and mental health, interpersonal relationships, values and citizenship, gender equality, nutrition, health and sanitation, prevention and management of substance misuse, promotion of healthy lifestyle and reproductive health.