‘Role of school counselors more critical than ever’

KOHIMA — The state mission director of Samagra Shiksha Nagaland, Temsunaro Ao, on Friday said that the field of school counseling is dynamic and staying updated with the latest research and techniques will enable teachers to provide the best support to their students.

Addressing the graduation day of the diploma holders in school counseling, SCERT, Nagaland (Batch 2019 and 2022) held at SIEMAT Hall, SCERT, in Kohima, the state mission director encouraged the teachers to keep learning and growing.

Temsunaro congratulated the teachers who successfully completed the one-year diploma in school counseling programme, the first batch to have completed the course after it was upgraded to one-year diploma. She also lauded Dr. Zavise Rume, professor and head of Guidance and Counselling Cell at SCERT, and team for the dedication and commitment in completing another milestone by taking the school counseling programme forward.

“Today marks the culmination of one year of hard work, dedication and a profound commitment to making a difference in the lives of students,” she told the graduate teachers.

Asserting that the world is constantly changing, she pointed out that the role of school counselors is more critical than ever as they help students navigate through the challenges of academic pressures, personal development and mental health.

The role of teachers not only shapes individual lives but also contributes to the well-being of the communities and society at large, she added.

Maintaining that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 underscores the importance of holistic development of students, she went on to state that students require not only academic support but also socio-emotional support to thrive in their educational journey.

Pointing out that counseling services in schools are envisioned to provide support to students, who might be facing emotional, psychological or behavioural challenges, she underscored that early identification and intervention are extremely vital to provide the time-needed support to the students.

Sharing her delight that Nagaland state is one of the pioneer states in the country to introduce professional diploma course in school counseling for the in-service teachers, she lauded the visionary academic leadership of the SCERT.

To the teachers who have completed the course, she urged them to give their best in providing counseling service support wherever they are posted.

“You can all make a big difference in the lives of many students. As you go and practice what you have learned from here, you may all share your experiences, success stories as school counselor so that we can share with the Ministry of Education,” said Temsunaro.

The director of SCERT, Kevirale-ü Kerhuo, informed that in 2018, SCERT Nagaland pioneered the diploma course with the vision to provide hands-on practical training in school counseling. Since then, 128 teachers have completed the diploma course and the fifth batch is ongoing.

Informing that the SCERT collaborated with St. Joseph University, Chümoukedima, to develop a cutting-edge syllabus that incorporates the latest professional concepts in school counseling, she said the mission is to professionalise the diploma course further with support from the All Nagaland Counselors’ Association.

She also informed that SCERT aims to achieve university recognition and ensure that every school is equipped with both male and female counselors to support the psychological, mental and emotional well-being of students.

Kerhuo further said that the department’s objective is to embed counseling into the fabric of the teaching-learning process, making it an essential service for all students.

Delivering the concluding remarks, Dr. Zavise Rume said that counseling, used in every human interaction, has become an integral part of school curriculum.

He stressed the need for the state government to formulate a strong policy for recruitment and a regulatory body to regulate counseling ethics.

As there are less numbers of counselors, he asserted the need to invite all trained teachers and private individuals to join the course by making seats available for private candidates and also from other neighbouring states.

Samalam Zeliang (2019 batch) and Khovelu Naro (2022 batch) also shared their experiences of taking the courses.

On the occasion, 32 teachers from 2019 batch and 21 from 2022 batch were awarded the diploma certificates.

A publication, “A study on Naga traditional practices of socio-emotional expressions” co-authored by Dr. Zavise Rume and Kegwalo Thyug, joint director, and published by SCERT Nagaland was also released by Temsunaro Ao.