JU-DSEJ organize one day training programme for teachers on counseling skills

The Department of Lifelong Learning, University of Jammu, in collaboration with Counseling Cell, Directorate of School Education organized one day training-cum-workshop on "Counseling Skills for teachers" in Brigadier Rajinder Singh Auditorium, University of Jammu here today. The workshop was attended by over 300 teacher-counselors drawn from far flung areas of three districts of Kathua, Samba and Jammu.

Prof Manoj K. Dhar Hon'ble Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu was the chief guest of the inaugural function while Prof Naresh Padha, Coordinator RUSA 2.0 and Dean Research Studies and Ms. Anuradha Gupta, Director, School Education, Jammu (DSEJ), were Guests of Honor.

In his address, Prof Manoj K. Dhar, Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu said that counseling is very important issue and the role of teachers in counseling is quite crucial as they have to identify the capacity of the children and provide them the direction. He added that the teachers in school education have an important responsibility as they hone the students, chisel them and guide by them through counseling and then the same students reach the university level. If the University works in close association with the DSEJ, the University would be able to get good students at the University, he said adding that our job is to nurture and nourish our future generations.

Assuring to make these initiatives sustainable, the Vice Chancellor announced that the University, in collaboration with DSEJ would organized special three weeks programme on skill and capacity building of teacher counselors in future in which special inputs would be given to them as part of University’s extension and outreach activities which are quite important as part of JU’s social responsibility towards the society.

Prof Naresh Padha, Coordinator RUSA 2.0 complimented the efforts of DSEJ and DLL for taking joint initiatives in bettering quality of life of government school students. He expressed his pleasure to see that the grants under RUSA granted by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt of India are reaching remotest areas of Jammu province through such extension and outreach programmes and would be helping hundreds of students in the long run.

Mrs. Anuradha Gupta, Director School Education, Jammu expressed her gratitude to DLL, University of Jammu for providing technical support in capacity building of teachers as first level counsellors. She said that counseling initiatives of DSEJ match with the recently launched School Health Programme. She impressed upon the teachers to take care of overall well-being of the students besides their academic needs.

Dr. Kavita Suri, Director DLL also threw light on extension and outreach programmes being organized by the DLL and added the aim of the present workshop was to develop counseling skills in teachers so as to develop them as first level counselors.

The whole programme was conceptualized and coordinated by Sh. Romesh Kumar, Head counseling cell DSEJ and Dr. Pallvi Sachdeva, Assistant professor DLL, University of Jammu. The major themes of the training programme were counseling skills, career counseling, psychological first aid and Child protection.

Prof.Arti Bakhshi Head, Department of Psychology, University of Jammu, Romesh Kumar, Head, Counselling cell DSEJ, MS. Aparajita Salathia, Child and adolescent psychologist, CDC Jammu, Avinash Gulati from Happy Minds, Rajiv Khajuria, Founder Emeritus National Development foundation acted as resource persons. Ms Alka Sharma, Shanti swroop Sharma, Prof Jasbir Singh, Dean Students Welfare who is also Dean Social Sciences, University of Jammu, Prof Arti Bakshi, Head Psychology, JU, Dr. Kavita Suri, Director, Department of Lifelong Learning, University of Jammu and Mr. Romesh Sharma, Head, Counseling Cell, DSEJ and Dr. Pallavi Sachdeva, Coordinator of the workshop were also present at the occasion besides DLL faculty members Dr Vivek Sharma and Dr Priyanka Sharma. Sweta Sharma, all teacher counselors with counseling cell, DSEJ and Mulk Raj Sharma from DLL, University of Jammu provided necessary support for successful conduct of the programme.