Kol schools work overtime to calm students’ nerves
Times of India | 16 September 2024
Kolkata: Counsellors and teachers in schools are facing a lot of anxious queries after the rape and murder of a PGT doctor at RG Kar Hospital. Counsellors of many schools have reported a significant increase in the number of students, particularly girls, expressing their worries about the incident and the subsequent changes in their parents’ behaviour.Not just that, teachers and counsellors in several schools are working beyond class hours to hold special counselling sessions to help students relieve the stress and calm anxiety.
Sucharita Ghosh, a counsellor and value education teacher of St. Augustine’s Day School Shyamnagar, has been addressing numerous questions from students, some of which have been quite challenging to answer. “A number of girl students told me that their parents had become very protective. Such parents keep calling their children even when they are attending tuition classes or whenever outdoors. Being a teacher, my first attempt is to clear their doubts with logical answers so that misconceptions don’t arise.”
Similar is the experience of Shovona Mukherji, a counsellor at a reputed city school.
“Many students, especially girls, have mentioned their parents frequently calling to monitor their activities outside home and are worried if they return late. Some parents have told their wards to keep pepper-spray.”
Madhumita Sengupta, the principal of BDM International, reported that students had been asking questions about the heinous crime. “We took a pledge of gender equality from the Teachers’ Day programme with the commitment to see a better world because we have to play great roles in building up the nation,” she said.
Several other schools have taken proactive measures to address the issue, such as conducting workshops on gender justice and sensitizing women about their rights to equality and dignity. Jadavpur Vidyapith, in collaboration with a NGO, organized a comprehensive workshop on gender justice to raise awareness about gender-based discrimination, gender expression, gender roles, and gender identity. “The workshop aimed to provide students with a platform to discuss their concerns openly and receive answers to their unanswered questions,” said headmaster, Partha Pratim Baidya.
Sabari Sengupta, the headmistress of Children Welfare Association, noted that the students were eagerly awaiting the results of the case and at the same time expressed anxiety about their future.
The school recognized the need for such sessions to help students find answers to their questions without having to ask anyone else.