Schools told to spread awareness about helpline 104

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

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Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 7

To help students in dealing with exam-related stress, the Director General School Education (DGSE) and the project director of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan have directed officials of all schools to spread awareness among students about the medical toll-free helpline 104.

In a letter sent to the school heads, the DGSE and the project director have told the heads to make the students aware of the helpline, which offers free of cost counselling to those suffering from anxiety, stress or depression.

Residents can take advice from doctors and para-medical staff to address health-related issues on the toll-free helpline.

Considering the fact that the students, especially those appearing for board examinations and those waiting for their results, may go in depression and sometimes take extreme steps, the DGSE has appealed to the schools to do their best to popularise the helpline number so that the students may fall back on the advice from the counselors and relax their nerves.

The schools have been asked to prominently display the number and its uses on the notice boards. To clear any doubts pertaining to the use of the helpline, teachers have also been asked to conduct a mock drill in front of students and in the presence of the school head on the school premises by dialing the number and speaking to the counselors.

Meanwhile, school heads, teachers and parents have welcomed the availability of the helpline number. They said in several cases, students were unable to share any kind of stress and anxiety with their parents or teachers as they fear a backlash. In such a scenario, the students might feel more comfortable speaking to a counselor over the phone and lay their anxieties to rest, they added.