Kupwara July 2023 (KNB): ELFA International in collaboration with the Directorate of Samagra Shiksha J&K and Office of the Chief Education Officer, Kupwara, organized a one-day Training of Teachers (ToT) on Jammu & Kashmir Whole School Safety Program here at Govt. Boys Higher Secondary School Kupwara.
In a handoutissuedtoKNBsaid that on the occasion Abdul Hamid Fani , Chief Education Officer Kupwara was the chief guest while as other dignatories present included Deputy CEO Kupwara and Principal GBHSS Kupwara.
Statement further stated, resource persons/experts from ELFA International conducted session through a series of interactive exercises/techniques. Resource persons included, Mr. Mehran Khan, CEO ELFA International, Syed Azhar and Mir Sajad, Regional Coordinators for WSSP with ELFA International.
A total of 120 teachers/ HOIs drawn from various schools were trained by the experts on Whole School Safety Programme and the various components thereof including Mental Health Psycho Social Support (MHPSS), Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Gender Based Violence (GBV), Elimination of violence against Children (EVAC), Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), Explosive Ordinance Risk Education (EORE), CCES, WASH, etc. statement added
Mehran Khan appraised the participants and dignitaries of the essence and importance of the Whole School Safety Programme and the role of ELFA International in implementing the same. He also paid a vote of thanks to Samagra Shiskhsha and UNICEF for their untiring technical and logistic support.
He also presented an encompassing picture of the components like DRR, WASH, MHM, MHPSS and others which are integral to Whole School Safety and the responsibility of both the government and individuals have to play in ensuring the implementation of all these components in letter and spirit.
He also delved into the Importance of ensuring school safety particularly in the context of geographic vulnerabilities of the place we live at. He spoke of the growing sense and sensitivity among the stakeholders to the various aspects of school safety and the welcoming change of growing government response to these sensitivities by means of the enactment of programs like WSSP.
He recalled the chaos and conundrum created by COVID-19 and the urgency it infused into the WSSP. He recounted the ground work of ELFA International in terms of installing Sanitary Napkin dispensers and incinerators, hand washing stations in schools and intervening by providing the necessary support, wherever needed.
He also spoke at length on the School Safety Manual developed by ELFA International, UNICEF and Samagra Shikhsha and gave a detailed context of the each component covered therein.
Mir Sajad, regional coordinator (Jammu) at ELFA International, enlightened the participants on Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Elimination of Violence against Children (EVAC). He situated these aspects within the larger framework of school safety. He enumerated various forms in which these deviations manifest and the corrective measures that teacher, parents and other stakeholders can take to curb the menace. Syed Azhar, Regional Coordinator (Kashmir) had an exhaustive and engaging presentation on Disaster Management and Risk Reduction with special reference to schools. He discussed various steps being taken by the government and concerned agencies to meet the challenges arising out of these disasters and also emphasised the need to expand the domain of intervention. He also detoured into the role of ELFA International both in terms of providing trainings and the necessary logistic support to schools to mitigate the effect of disasters and to enhance proactive approach in relation to the same.
Abdul Hamid Fani, CEO Kupwara presented the inaugural remarks and shared his personal experience of working with ELF International and the commendable job the organisation has been doing throughout J&K and particularly in the region of Kupwara. He also added the importance of WSSP and applicability of the program across the UT of J&K.
The participants praised the event and expressed their satisfaction with the way the event was conducted. Speaking of the wholesome learning experience, they expressed their wish for such programs to be held regularly time and again. statement further added (KNB)