Ganderbal: School of Education and Directorate of Students Welfare (DSW) Central University of Kashmir (CUK) in collaboration with Indian School Psychology Association (ISPA) kick-started a three-day online workshop on “Mental Health, Life skills and Adjustment,” for Secondary School Teachers of Kashmir on Monday.
Addressing the participants, CUK Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Mehraj ud Din Mir, said the lockdown due to pandemic has thrown huge challenges to all the sectors including the education. “It has become imperative for educational institutions to continue with their academic activities, including holding of classes, through online mode, so that precious time of the students’ and scholars is saved,” Prof. Mir said. He said the pandemic has forced people to live in isolation in their respective homes resulting in various physical, mental, social and spiritual problems, affecting the individuals irrespective of age, race, religion, profession, gender etc. He dwelt at length about the need, importance and relevance of the selected theme of the workshop, keeping in view the problems confronted by the education sector due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Prof. Mir remarked that such workshops will go a long way in addressing the social and psychological needs of the student community. He said the educational institutions should further gear up as the pandemic wasn’t relenting.
Controller of Examinations, Prof. Parveen Pandit, Deans of Schools, faculty members of departments and secondary school teachers of Kashmir also participated in the event.
In his special address, President, INSPA, Prof. Panch Ramalingam, observed that a large number of government schools need to be served with well qualified Counsellors who can accommodate the psychological needs of school-going children and adolescents. Prof. Ramalingam said that 150 million children are staying at home during the lockdown and it is a huge challenge for the concerned stakeholders about how to fulfill their scholastic and non-scholastic needs and aspirations.
Addressing the participants, former, Dean, SOE, Prof. N.A. Nadeem, remarked that, Physical Health is as important as Mental Health and one cannot thrive without the other. He suggested that several mental health institutions should be established across the length and breadth of the country.
Organizing Secretary, Prof. Farooq Ahmad Shah, and Co-organizing Secretary, Dr. Syed Zahoor Geelani, in their addresses observed that, this part of the world is facing problems in conducting virtual classroom teaching due to low internet speed. The workshop, they said was organized as a response against the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic situation which has crippled the whole world and has affected many dimensions or ways of living of human beings including their economy, mobility, education, transportation and what not.
In her welcome address, workshop Convener, Prof. Nighat Basu, highlighted the need and relevance of conducting such online workshop in the present crisis. She observed that, teachers should take care of the mental health issues of their students. “Teachers can address the problems of their students by developing healthy life skills in them.” She also highlighted that the adolescents are in a certain kind of trauma and, it is the duty of concerned stakeholders to address the issue on priority.
Presenting vote of thanks, Registrar, Prof. Fayaz Ahmad Nika, thanked all the dignitaries and other participants and stressed the importance of exercise, meditation, proper diet, positive thinking etc in fighting the ill effects of the current situation. He said the students, especially children and adolescents are finding it difficult to concentrate on their assigned works, adding that it is in this backdrop, the workshop was conceptualized and organized.
The inaugural session was conducted by Sr. Assistant Prof, Dr. Mohammad Syed Bhat while as Assistant Prof. . Reyaz Ahmad Wani was the rapporteur.

KR Desk