Today a new beginning took place in the education system of Delhi. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta launched 'Project Manobal' at Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Shalimar Bagh. It is being described as India's first mental health education program for government schools. Till now the focus of studies in schools was mainly limited to academic subjects. But the aim of this initiative is to prepare children to understand their emotions, become mentally strong and face the challenges of life in a better way.
Project Manobal is an initiative of Laadli Foundation, supported by academic and technical support from The Mind Sync. Through this program, systematic education related to mental health will be provided to government schools and children of economically weaker sections. The aim is not only to improve the education of children but also to give equal importance to their mental and emotional development. This is the first time an attempt is being made to make mental health a regular part of the curriculum in a government school programme.
Under this program, trained psychologists will hold interactive sessions with children in schools every week. Merely organizing sessions is not part of this plan. The social and emotional development of children will also be continuously tracked. Just like schools keep records of students' exam results and academic performance. This will help teachers and school administration to understand the emotional state of a student and what kind of support he needs.
Under the scheme, 'Project Manobal Kit' will be provided to every student. This kit will include class-specific mental health education books, activity worksheets, various assessment modules, certificate on completion of the course and a stationery kit from Maped. The aim of all these resources is not just to teach children, but to give them the opportunity to learn through activities.
Project Morale is not limited to students only. In this, special training programs have also been organized for teachers. Through the workshop, teachers will be explained how to recognize changes in a child's behavior and how to help him in time. Along with this, they will also get training in creating such a classroom environment where children can express their views without fear and hesitation.
'MANN Workshop' for the students of senior classes is an important part of this programme. In these workshops, students will not only be given lectures, but will also get an opportunity to understand themselves through activities and live exercises based on real situations. This process will develop important abilities in children like emotional intelligence, mental flexibility, self-confidence and controlling their emotions. These skills will prove helpful in their personal, social and professional life later on.
Manas Dubey, founder of The Mind Sync, says that he envisions government schools where children not only study mathematics, science or history, but also learn to understand their emotions and handle them properly. According to him, Project Manobal is a systematic mental health education program which will be delivered to children by trained psychologists through interactive activities, personal guidance and regular support. He said that the biggest objective of this initiative is to develop emotional intelligence in every child. According to Manas Dubey, the partnership between Laadli Foundation and The Mind Sync is an important step towards bringing emotional education to millions of children who have received very little mental health support till now.
The most special initiative of Project Manobal is 'Manobal Lab'. It has been developed as India's first Emotional Intelligence Lab for schools. This will not be a traditional classroom. Here children will not just learn from books, but will also feel, understand their emotions and practice handling them. This lab will have facilities like regulation zone, mindfulness experience, neuroscience based activities and reflection corner. Its objective is to put emotional education into practice and not just limit it to theory.
Laadli Foundation, which started Project Manobal, has been continuously working in areas like education, women empowerment, digital inclusion, health and community development for the last several years. Under the leadership of the foundation's founder Devendra Kumar, the organization has launched several social initiatives across the country. Her work for the empowerment of women and girls has been appreciated at the national and international level. He has also been nominated for Padmashree. Not only this, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres had also invited him in recognition of his contribution.
Laadli Foundation has so far played an important role in setting up more than 250 computer labs, AI integrated smart toilets, smart classrooms and STEM labs in government schools of Delhi. Apart from this, the organization is also helping in increasing digital literacy among needy students and preparation for Common University Entrance Test (CUET). Now taking this thinking forward, efforts are being made to connect children with emotional intelligence and life skills through Project Manobal.
The Mind Sync is doing the work of strengthening project morale. It is considered to be India's first mental health education curriculum for schools. It was founded by Manas Dubey and Harvard-trained psychiatrist Dr. Shivam Dubey. Both believe that mental health should be made a part of education right from childhood, not just after a crisis. With this in mind, he created a curriculum that integrated emotional intelligence and social-emotional learning (SEL) into everyday learning. Today this model has been implemented in many schools of the country and so far its positive impact has been seen on more than one lakh students and more than 1,500 teachers.
In today's time, mental stress, exam pressure, loneliness and emotional challenges are continuously increasing among students. In such an environment, Project Manolal is not just being seen as a new program but as a necessary change in the education system. The aim of this initiative is not to wait for the children to have a mental breakdown, but to give them such skills right from the beginning, so that they can face the difficult situations of life with confidence.
This program is also considered to be in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Developed India 2047'. Through this initiative, emphasis has been laid on developing self-confidence, empathy, decision-making abilities, emotional balance and leadership skills in children from an early age. Experts believe that future success will not be determined only by good marks, but it will also matter how mentally strong and emotionally balanced a student is.
If the last century was called the century of literacy, then in the coming times emotional intelligence can also become an equally important part of education. Project Manolab is a big step taken in this direction. Its objective is to prepare such students who are not only good in studies but are also capable of facing the challenges of life. This program emphasizes on developing self-confidence, sensitivity, mental strength and leadership abilities in children, so that they can be prepared for every challenge of the future.
