CBSE to review student counselling services Affiliated schools have been asked to fill up an online questionnaire by january 10

CBSE to review student counselling services

Affiliated schools have been asked to fill up an online questionnaire by january 10

Following the recent incidents of violence against girl students, city schools are reviewing their counselling process. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is conducting a mapping of guidance and counselling services in its affiliated schools across the country. According to the latest circular issued on December 21 and uploaded on the board’s website, all schools have been asked to fill an online questionnaire about their counselling services by January 10. The board’s affiliation by-laws also advise schools to appoint a full-time counsellor. In order to broad base and streamline counselling services, the board has designed the questionnaire to map the guidance and counselling service available in its affiliated schools with the purpose of gauging the need and scope of such services. “During the growth process and schooling, the environment becomes relatively complex and the child faces a variety of social, interpersonal, physical and emotional problems, which need to be resolved. Regular guidance and counselling help the child in maximising his/her capacities and in self-actualisation,” states the circular. CBSE is the first, and perhaps the only, board of education in the country which has been providing psychological counselling services to stakeholders since 1998. As of now, this service is being provided by principals and counsellors on a voluntary basis from affiliated schools across the world. “The board has also enlisted media support in this outreach programme. Major national dailies participate and publish question-answer columns that deal with queries of various natures. The board also provides free tele-counselling and online counselling twice a year with the help of professionals,” said a senior board official. But several schools still don’t even have full-time counsellors, say experts. Arundhati Chauhan, president of the PTA United Forum who has started a new woman’s helpline says, “The crimes that have happened in the past few days in the city could have been resolved by counselling. Unfortunately, not all schools and colleges have full-time counsellors. Youngsters today are suffering from a range of issues, such as stress and anger. We need to reach out to them before they take an extreme step.”

Published Date:  Dec 25, 2012