Initiative planned for wellbeing of students, teachers

Islamabad : Sensitising the seriousness of growing mental health problems, the education ministry is set to launch the Omer e Rawan programme to provide evidence-based mental health prevention, promotion and treatment services to promote mental health and well-being of students, parents and teachers in the ambit of Islamabad Capital Territory.

The initiative to be inaugurated by education minister Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui tomorrow (Friday) at the Islamabad Model College for Girls, F-7/4, will include needs-assessment, teachers training programme, digital self-help applications, chat-bot, support groups, emotional skills training for adolescents and referral pathways for personalised services, according to officials. They said over the next 12 months, in collaboration with Global Institute of Human Development at Shifa Tameer e Millat University, the programme was expected to result in training and certification of all head teachers and teachers in evidence based interventions strategies to promote students, teachers, and parents’ wellbeing and mental health in educational settings including schools and universities.

Also, 300 psychologists will be trained in implementation of evidence-based mental health and well-being services in the educational institutions of ICT, while referral pathways and support will be developed in collaboration with other partners and stakeholders. The officials said the initiative would also ensure improved psychosocial environment to promote well-being in the educational institutions of ICT.