Dr Jitendra Nagpal, Senior
Consultant Psychiatrist, Moolchand Medcity, New Delhi,
Indian
school education today needs critical focus on mental health of its learners. Education and health
need to be in sync with each other because they have similar mental, physical and social goals, with
both targeting well-rounded development of individuals. Teachers, learners and the family must
participate proactively in voicing curricular needs and implementing wellbeing design so as to
eventually mitigate communicable disorders and nurture the wellness indicators. Dr Jitendra Nagpal
believes that a conducive psycho-social climate will keep India’s young learners well-hydrated and
nourished.
Listen to Dr Nagpal’s audio tracks wherein he discusses the growing needs for a wellness
curriculum in schools.
Health, since it synergises the
physical, mental, and social aspects of an individual, is not different from Education; their goals
are similar. Yet, if the focus of Education is mostly the literacies, then how does one fulfil the
need for developing a rounded human being, with the right balance of the physical, mental and social
health?
India at its NEP-implementation
juncture is poised to address the fact that the voice of children and adolescents need to be heard
when they express their emotional or mental states at every stage of their development. Nurturance
that includes student participation is critical for holistic development which will lead to
curriculum for life.
It is a challenge to deal with
root causes that lead to disruptive behaviours and abuses, all of which are linked to wellness
during the growing years. Research in India today is able to provide data to determine Wellness
Indicators and action points for schools, states, the country and its policies. The focus should be
the wellbeing of the young population which can happen only with their participation.
NEP’s link with Life-Skills
leading to happiness, has begun an arduous yet promising journey moving from health to happiness.
Happiness includes targeted indicators encompassed within a harmonious home, school and society. The
Safety Checklist is one benchmark which measures levels of wellbeing at the school.
Teacher wellbeing is just as
important as student wellbeing. They need peer group support and mentoring as they face physical and
mental challenges from every quarter. Parents need to be empathetic towards them as much as
employers, appreciative.
The family plays a big role in
determining the mental wellness of the young population. Role models within the family with good
lifestyle and indicators of mental health provide sustenance for well-being, and hence schools need
to partner with families.
One out of seven in India are in
need of mental health support, of which 40% are children. The participatory and decision-making
voice of the student is necessary for fostering the psycho-social wellbeing. The Government of
India’s wellness initiatives like the National and State Resource Groups and 40 Aspirational
Districts are commendable efforts in alleviating mental wellbeing among schools.
