Schools are the nurturing grounds of future leaders, thinkers, and change-makers. Mental wellness is the foundation upon which academic excellence and holistic growth are built. The recent draft document titled UMMEED (Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathise, Empower, Develop) released by the Ministry of Education’s Department of School Education and Literacy, in line with the National Education Policy 2020, is a step in the right direction.
In a world that’s increasingly fast-paced and demanding, nurturing the beautiful minds and happy hearts of our students is the responsibility of every school and its stakeholders. It has been proven in a multitude of times in different research papers that a sound mind is a powerhouse of learning. Happiness can bring forth and utilise the full potential of our students.
A calm and flourishing mind equips our students with the resilience needed to navigate life’s ups and downs. A mentally relaxed and nurturing environment fosters the development of meaningful relationships. It allows their innocent souls to blossom.
Now is, therefore, the time to instil a culture of mental wellness within our institutions. While it needs an initial push, but the results could have far-reaching positive consequences.
Schools that wish to take the lead should set the tone. A quick strategy for early adopters of the mental wellness paradigm could be:
- Make mental wellness a central mission of the school, involving parents, students, and educators in promoting and propagating it.
- Make the well-being of educators a top priority by implementing transformative changes in their schedules and workloads.
- Provide the educators comprehensive training on managing their own emotional wellbeing. Their personal happiness will resonate within the classrooms as well.
- Establish a strong parent community dedicated to volunteering for happiness skill sessions in schools, creating a more holistic approach to well-being.
- Introduce mindfulness, meditation, and other practices in classrooms to help students manage stress and anxiety.
- Make every student a Happiness Volunteer who promotes the basic happiness skills in his family and immediate surroundings.
- Encourage open dialogues about mental health in school.
- Create safe spaces where students can express themselves without fear of judgment.
- Collaborate with mental health professionals and organisations to provide guidance and support for students in need.
- If Bhutan can have a measure of Gross National Happiness, schools too can create their own measures of Gross Classroom Happiness. Let the happiest classes be celebrated, motivating others to follow the practice.
Our commitment to mental wellness is an investment in brighter tomorrows for our students and our nation. As school leaders, let’s do our best to make our schools become havens of positive mental health, learning, and overall growth.
