Counselling a boon to many Goa school students

NT Reporter | Panaji

Playing a crucial role in supporting students by providing them with a safe space to express their feelings, counselling has emerged as a boon to many students in the state who are struggling to cope with the difficulties in their school life.

Over 60% of the cases handled by counsellors in schools across the state in the last decade pertained to difficulties related to studies, behaviour, emotions and learning.

Since the inception of the counselling scheme in the academic year 2013-14 till 2023-24, the counsellors have handled over 1.88 lakh cases, with nearly 24% of these related to study difficulty.

“Feeling sad or anxious, crying easily and trouble in dealing with anger etc. are considered emotional difficulties, while behavioural difficulties include instances like not paying attention, disturbing others, back answering, hitting others and not following the school rules and regulations etc,” said Ashlesha Shetye, a counselling scheme supervisor.

She said that learning difficulties relate to academic failure, difficulty in reading and writing, difficulty with spellings, etc, while study difficulties include the inability to concentrate or pay attention to studies, inability to manage time and becoming anxious during exams, etc.

In one of the cases related to study difficulty handled by the counsellors, a 14-year-old girl studying in Class 8 had difficulty studying English and mathematics. The case was a self-referral.

After obtaining the required information, the child was encouraged to suggest the possible ways in which she thought her difficulty could be dealt with. After much brainstorming, an action plan was agreed upon by both, the child and the counsellor, and the same was followed.

After four follow-ups, the child showed good improvement and was happier than she was during her first session. The child was subsequently told that she would attend counselling session only if she required further help.

Apart from the various difficulties, the other cases handled by the counsellors include those pertaining to health issues, social difficulty at school and home, reproductive and sexual health (RSH), career issues, substance abuse, mental health and abuse and harassment, among others.

To help youngsters cope with the emotional and psychological stress related to education and also the socio-economic and cultural environment, the state government has appointed counsellors in schools and higher secondary schools in the state. The scheme has been implemented through Goa Education Development Corporation (GEDC).

The counsellors are acting as a support to the students by helping them prepare for their academics, social and emotional changes. They have also been working with the parents and teachers in mending bridges that would help them connect better with the children.