Bureaucrats, judges, docs to mentor Chandigarh students

Come July 1, bureaucrats, judges, doctors, professors, renowned sportspersons and other eminent persons of society will mentor students in the city. The UT Administration on Wednesday finalised a special mentorship programme to handhold the children of the government schools.

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To begin with, all officers posted in the UT Administration and the professors of higher education institutes will adopt one senior secondary school each and undertake to inspire the students.

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Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, while giving the nod to the initiative of the Education Department, gave a clarion call to the leaders in their respective fields to adopt a school and inspire a generation.

The brainchild of Kataria, the programme will rope in the mentors from varied fields to adopt all 111 government schools of the city. They will hand-hold the students on essential topics such as health, hygiene, cyber laws and personal growth.

In the first phase, 42 senior secondary schools will be assigned while the remaining 56 secondary, 10 high and three primary government schools will be covered subsequently. Of the 1.5-lakh students on rolls in the government schools, 1 lakh are studying in the senior secondary classes.

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“Chandigarh has consistently focused on education and has invested huge amounts of money over the decades to address the issues of access, enrolment, gender parity and retention,” the Governor-cum-Administrator told The Tribune.

Calling education as a cornerstone for societal progress and individual empowerment, he said the concept of adoption of government schools will emerge as a unique initiative to enhance the quality of education in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020 while recognising the critical role of the schools in shaping the future of the students.

He said the doctors from the PGIMER, GMCH-32, GMSH-16, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (Tata Memorial Centre) will lead workshops on hygiene practices, nutrition, mental well-being, preventive health (first-aid) and mandatory cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training in the schools to broaden the educational goals of student capability, resilience and self-efficacy.

The UT Education Secretary, Prerna Puri, said all school staffers, both teaching and non-teaching, will be trained for first-aid and CPR by the doctors and these trained staffer will further impart training to the students.

All newly recruited teachers and non-teaching staff will be trained for first-aid within the first three months of their appointment. The students will be encouraged to organise hygiene drives or awareness campaigns within their communities.

“Judges and lawyers will take up sessions on cyber laws, digital rights, online safety and how to avoid and report cyber threats,” she disclosed.

The UT Director, School Education (DSE), Harsuhinder Pal Singh Brar said the project proposes the voluntary adoption of government schools by political leaders, senior bureaucrats, retired personnel and skilled individuals, fostering a collaborative approach to uplift the education landscape.

“This mentorship programme is designed to bridge the gap between education and real-world knowledge by connecting students with experienced professionals, including officers, doctors and eminent lawyers. While working closely with the principals, teachers, students and parents, these experts will leverage their experience and connect to bring about a positive change in the schools and students,” Brar revealed.

He said the goal was to empower the students, instil healthy habits in them, boost their confidence and encourage legal awareness. This will ensure a well-rounded personal and academic growth of the students and enable them to excel in their chosen careers.

MENTORSHIP STRUCTURE

Each mentor will adopt a specific school and become the designated mentor for that institution. The mentors will engage with students over a specified period, like an academic year. The programme will entail monthly mentorship sessions, inspiration and career talks. Older students will have opportunities to shadow mentors or participate in mock interviews and resume-building workshops.

FEEDBACK & EVALUATION

Regular feedback will be collected from students and mentors to assess the programme’s impact and areas for improvement. Pre and post-programme evaluations will measure students’ growth in knowledge, confidence and practical life skills.