Mentorship and counselling are crucial components in the lives of students. They offer a range of benefits that impact students' lives positively.
As students break for the two-month holiday, a long period during which it is easy to get carried away, mentorship is crucial. Parental guidance is essential in personal development but has proved to be ineffective in career development and other aspects.
There is a need for countrywide mentorship and counselling programmes with diverse perspectives and expertise. These programmes will help teenagers as they go through challenging life transitions and help decrease the likelihood of them getting initiated into drug and alcohol abuse.
The programmes should also provide opportunities for the development of skills through workshops and training sessions. The world is quickly changing and students should be equipped with skills that will be beneficial in their career and overall life.
The current education system leaves little room for creativity and self-learning, which are crucial now. The mentorship programmes should be designed in a way that is different from the standard school curriculum.
They should provide an avenue for the development of skills through training sessions and talks from a diverse individuals such as entrepreneurs, community leaders and technocrats.
The programmes would improve students' interpersonal skills and enhance their self–esteem and confidence. Mentorship has proved to play a vibrant role in academics too.
With an increased number of students experiencing mental health challenges, there is a need for guidance and counselling. Mental health deterioration is proving to be a significant challenge in the lives of teenagers and can no longer be ignored.
There is a need for the government to come up with policies and initiatives that will be beneficial. Guidance and counselling programmes should be initiated with a lot of vigour. Students should be able to access such services even during the holidays.
As a society, we need to create a conducive and safe environment for children to grow up in. The counselling programmes will be adequate for students as they will have a greater sense of purpose. They will also be able to manage stress effectively and get relief from depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions.
Let's all come together and understand that young minds need practical guidance that will help them make a name for themselves.
