Govt. schools covered in Rajasthan’s mental health programme, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• Rajasthan has launched a mental health and well-being program named 'Khushishala' covering approximately 1,500 government primary schools.
• The program targets students from Classes 1 to 5, focusing on their emotional resilience and social-emotional skills.
• Officials claim Rajasthan is the first state in India to implement such a structured mental health program at the primary education level.
• A pilot project in Sirohi and Banswara districts in 2024 showed a 53% improvement in students' socio-emotional skills, with 69% among girls.
• The initiative includes comprehensive training for teachers to better understand and support students' emotional needs.

Detailed Insights:

• The 'Khushishala' program is implemented by the Rajasthan State Council of Educational Research and Training (RSCERT).
• Its core objective is to strengthen children's emotional well-being, social development, and life skills through activity-based learning.
• Teachers undergo a three-day training module and a 21-day audio-based course on emotional awareness, stress recognition, and relationship building.
• Special teacher handbooks and mobile-based resources have been developed to facilitate classroom activities.
• The program is being expanded to train 11,305 teachers at the panchayat level and extend to 649 PM SHRI schools.
• The long-term goal is to ensure at least one trained teacher in every panchayat across the state.
• The initiative was developed in partnership with the Kshamtalaya Foundation and Brio, a US-based non-profit organization.
• This school-based program complements Rajasthan's broader mental health initiatives, such as the 'Raj-Mamta' program and the expansion of Tele-MANAS services.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Mental Health Program: A structured initiative designed to promote psychological well-being and address mental health concerns within a specific population.
• Socio-emotional Skills: Abilities that enable individuals to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.
• Primary Education: The initial stage of formal schooling, typically for children aged 6 to 11 years, covering foundational learning.
• RSCERT: A state-level academic body responsible for curriculum development, teacher training, and educational research.
• PM SHRI Schools: A centrally sponsored scheme by the Government of India to upgrade existing schools into model schools, showcasing the National Education Policy 2020.