DPS Navi Mumbai has taken the first step toward an emotionally intelligent generation, by ensuring that education goes beyond academics. Having collaborated with The Mind Sync, the school has launched the India’s First Mental Health Education Program with the initial stage being a teacher training phase that has certified 37 teachers as the first line of mental health education.
These educators have become true soldiers in the existing epidemic-like mental health crisis, with compassion, strength, and commitment. They are at the forefront of this movement in bringing students towards awareness, balance and emotional strength. The program is a response to the increased demand on a formal education system in mental health, and it is based on the recommendations of the Ministry of Education and the NCERT to include mental health awareness and assistance in the formal education system. The program was conceptualised by Dr Shivam Dubey, a Harvard-trained psychiatrist and is getting implemented across schools in India under the leadership of Mr. Manas Dubey, Founder of The Mind Sync.
Through a rigorous and standardised training process led by The Mind Sync, 37 teachers at DPS Navi Mumbai have now been upskilled as certified Mental Health Educators by the Program Director of The Mind Sync- Ms Pragya Joshi. They were trained in a broad variety of modules, such as the pillars of The Mind Sync, SEL Skills, classroom-based emotional learning and regulation strategies, curriculum integration, and the effective communication techniques. Each educator is now also competent to facilitate mental health education to students and also recognize early signs if necessary.
The adoption of the Mental Health Education Program in DPS Navi Mumbai has become possible due to the wise foresight of the school principal, Dr. H. S. Vashistha. His belief that emotional education should be used to accompany academic excellence drove the whole faculty- coordinators and educators to work together with one mission to make strong, self-aware, and emotionally balanced personalities. He says, “The Mental Health Education Program by The Mind Sync has played an important role towards the mental health of the DPS Navi Mumbai students and staff. Since we have started implementing this program, we have seen some observable improvements within the behaviour of the students, which, consequently, also resulted in an improved academic performance. Our school encourages students to focus on their mental health and emotional literacy, as a step forward on the path of emotional intelligence.”
The results of this vision are evident. According to the Self-awareness Assessment, an impressive 98.86 percentage of students were found to have an increase in their level of self-awareness skills in the first six weeks of implementing the program. This core competency which is viewed as the basis of social-emotional learning is helping students to be more self-regulatory and stay thoughtful in the decision-making process besides becoming more engaged with their academic and social worlds.
This outcome shows that they identify and interpret their own emotions, thoughts and actions, which brings more effective self-management, better school environment and positive interactions in classrooms. Another important aspect that is also evident is the improvement in the learning habits and personal growth of the students. Most students have come to evaluate their learning styles, which strategies they best use and how to manage their time better. This increasing self-awareness is now being translated into greater focus, stable academic achievement and increased sense of control over their actions and progress.
According to Manas Dubey, Founder of The Mind Sync, “The program goes far beyond addressing immediate mental health concerns, but it is a step toward a generation of emotionally intelligent students. DPS Navi Mumbai is reinventing the meaning of holistic education by building classrooms that students feel heard, understood, and supported in. Guiding the initiative on the ground, Program Manager Mayuri Godbole oversees all activities of The Mind Sync Program at DPS Nerul and makes it efficient and consistent.
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This initiative is a brilliant example of what schools can accomplish when emotional intelligence is put at the centre of teaching. This is only the beginning. The students will continue to gain increased emotional intelligence, self-awareness and empathy as the program goes on which will enable them to make responsible decisions, build stronger relationships and gain control over their personal growth. Not only is the school making a positive impact on its students, but it is also changing other schools in India to reevaluate education, focus on mental health, and raise a generation of emotionally intelligent and resilient citizens.
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