Port Blair, Dec 02: Expressing concern over the growing incidents of suicide by school students, the Lt. Governor of A & N Islands has ordered constitution of a four member committee to carry out close analysis of suicides committed by the students. The committee consisted of Dr. Francis Xavier HoD English, JNRM, Dr. RN Prasad, then DDE (Academics), Shri S Partibhan, Faculty Member ANCOL Psychologist and Sociologist and Mrs. Sajida Zubair, Social Worker to have deliberations and suggest remedial measures.
The committee held a number of meetings and after detailed deliberation, made a presentation before the Lt. Governor on 12.11.2014 and proposed an Action Plan as part of remedial measures. The Lt. Governor has approved the implementation of the Action Plan and gave a number of directions to be implemented for preventing of recurrence of incidents of suicide by students.
An advisory shall be issued to all Government and Private schools to identify the children who may exhibit introvert behavior or suicidal tendencies and motivate them to participate in co-curricular activities/games and other group programmes to help them to come out of their sense of isolation and depression.
Existing telephone numbers of the schools may be used as Help-lines for providing requisite support to vulnerable students.
All schools shall identify and appoint at least two pro-active teachers as Nodal Teachers and Counselors.
Further trained counselors having experience in guiding human behavior, to be engaged for training the Nodal Teachers identified for the purpose.
All Education Zones shall have adequate number of counselors for coordinating counseling activities at the Zonal level.
Heads of Schools shall conduct fortnightly/monthly counseling sessions and shall submit reports through Zonal Officers to Headquarters.
All Schools shall conduct periodical yoga and meditation classes to help vulnerable students.
Parents of children identified for counseling will be also sensitized to be caring and understanding so that the desired parental support is also available to vulnerable children even after school hours.
The Lt. Governor has also directed Secretary (Education) to broad base the existing committee by associating representatives from Health, Police, Social Workers, NGOs and PRI members for their valuable suggestions.
