DK Zilla Panchayat Will Soon Launch The Much Needed ‘Manostairya’ Suicide Prevention Programme in Schools

The Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat is all set to launch the “Manostairya” programme, under which each government school will have a teacher trained to counsel students and hold activities for boosting their mental health. Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Kumara, who initiated the programme, said that suicide and depression among students, especially those in high schools and colleges, are serious ones which needs to be addressed at the earliest.

Though there are directions by the State government on the need of having counselling facility at schools, there is no proper system put in place to create this facility in government schools. As part of ‘Manostairya’ programme, a teacher from each school will be trained by psychologists and psychiatrists. These teachers will manage the counselling centres in schools, which will strive to address issues concerning the students.