To beat Covid blues, schools to focus on socio-emotional learning

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Gurugram, April 27

To help government school students fight off the impact of Covid, Haryana is introducing new socio-emotional learning (SEL) techniques. As part of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, the state is spearheading the drive and has introduced the “EduSEL 2022-23: Feeling Safe at School” curriculum with the support of the Anubhuti organisation (NGO).

As part of the initiative, 28,632 teachers from government schools will be oriented to ensure that the main elements of SEL, including self-awareness, relationship management, self-management, and decision-making are integrated with the mainstream curriculum.

Many children in government schools have been scarred by Covid, and for some, the crisis has resulted in the loss of parents or loved ones, financial difficulties and disruptions to their education. The emotional health of these children has been severely impacted, with 80 per cent of teachers in the NCR admitting that they did not know how to address the issue. To address this challenge, Haryana has adopted this new teaching module.

“The lack of SEL integration is also one of the major reasons for school dropouts,” said Sakshi Srivastava, Founder Director, Anubhuti NGO.

To create an urgency to focus on SEL in classrooms, the teachers were trained for three months. They were also advised that SEL is not a substitute for foundational literacy and numeracy skills. The practices in the classroom rely on the premise that providing a safe environment and supportive opportunities will help students develop essential life skills. The program aims to ensure that the students feel safe and supported in schools and can overcome the socio-emotional impact of Covid.

28,000 teachers to be trained

As part of the initiative, 28,632 teachers from government schools will be oriented to ensure that the main elements of SEL, including self-awareness, relationship management, self-management, and decision-making are integrated with the mainstream curriculum.