Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

Imparting critical life skills early on

CHENNAI: Adolescents in city schools will soon imbibe critical life skills to avert perils such as substance abuse, teenage pregnancies and other high-risk behaviour, and to adopt healthy living practices.

In an advocacy programme on adolescent education, nearly 60 teachers from schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) were trained to impart adolescent education to their school students.

The four-day workshop, which concluded here on Saturday, was a part of the National Adolescent Education Programme, which is an initiative of the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development, to address the increase in high risk behaviour among youth.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and the CBSE are the partnering agencies in the initiative.

IL & FS Education and Technology Services Limited, a company which trains students and employees of the government and the corporate sectors, was identified as the master trainer for the programme. Facilitators from the company have been training teachers from schools across the country. Chettinad Vidyashram was the host school for the programme in Chennai.

CBSE’s joint secretary for the Chennai region M.V.V. Prasada Rao told The Hindu that the primary objective of the programme was to clear misconceptions in students’ minds. “This is a total health programme to help adolescents understand the process of their growing up better,” he said.

The workshop began with an introductory session for school principals. It was followed by sessions for teachers, covering various issues, including such as substance abuse and, personal hygiene. . On day four, teachers interacted with students from the host school through various group activities and presentations. The programme also sought to equip students with life skills that would come in handy in challenging situations. Resource person of the National Adolescent Programme, consultant paediatrician and adolescent physician S. Yamuna said there was a national emergency to bring down the number of infection cases.

The programme addressed an adolescent’s holistic health behaviour to prevent them from harming themselves socially, emotionally, mentally and sexually.

“The topics on sex are only a part of the programme and not the only components. Unfortunately, the programme tends to get highlighted as something to do with just sexual behaviour,” Dr. Yamuna added. A session on reproductive health covered high risk behaviours. .

Inculcating life skills at school level will ensure that students do not regret later. They will be confident and take informed decisions, Dr. Yamuna pointed out.

Assistant vice-president of IL & FS Education and Technology Services Jyoti Swaroop said: “The programme is aimed at equipping teachers to comfortably speak to students about topics that are usually considered taboo.”

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