Workshop to empower Counselors & Teachers of Sikkim

GANGTOK [IPR]: Minister for HRDD, RB Subba, chaired the inaugural session of a three-day training workshop titled “Empowering Counselors & Teachers of Sikkim” here at Chintan Bhawan on 27 November. Ministers DT Lepcha and AK Ghatani along with senior officials of HRDD and teachers were also present.
Director General of International Chamber for Service Industry (ICSI), Dr. Gulshan Sharma was present as the chief resource person.
Addressing the teachers, Minister Subba stated, “In your charge are many lives in the making, each one different, everyone important, all with hopes and dreams for Sikkim. Dear Teachers, through your hands pass the future of Sikkim”.
While commending the teachers for their dedicated service, the Minister urged them to go a step further and impart humanity through balanced counseling.
Further, the Minister announced that upon the end of the workshop, a teacher each from each school of Sikkim would be identified to shoulder the additional responsibility of a counselor. He called on the participating teachers to take optimum benefit from this workshop and equip themselves with the necessary skills for counseling.
Earlier, addressing the inaugural session, resource person Dr. Gulshan Sharma laid down recommendations for the appointment of counselors in every school, orienting them for the task, and empowering and upgrading their knowledge through innovative training workshops at least twice a year, and imparting complimentary online digital programme in education and counseling management. He also suggested that the State explore assistance from the Rashtriya Uchattar Siksha Abhiyan (RUSA) of the Union Ministry of HRDD which facilitates appointment of full time counselors at schools across the country.
The International Chamber for Service Industry, during the three-day workshop, will be imparting training on such aspects as emerging trends in education and counseling, overview of multiple learning styles, introduction of various types of tests, activities based on psychometric/ aptitude test, understanding various learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral problems, digital education and IT skills, logical reasoning and abstract thinking, essential tools for counseling and education, roles, qualities and skills of counselors, ethical issues, role of social media and essential soft skills development.