A STUDY ON THE AWARENESS OF SCHOOL TEACHERS ABOUT POLICY DOCUMENTS RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH

Authors: Dr. Nargish Bano, Dr. Arif Mohammad & Dr. Shahnaz Bano

ABSTRACT

Rising awareness of mental health in India has led to the formation of policy initiatives aimed at promoting mental well-being. These policies include instructions for teachers to prevent mental distress and promote mental health. Teachers’ perception, awareness, and preparedness to tackle mental health issues among students are crucial. Teachers can play a key role in improving mental health by identifying early symptoms of distress and promoting sound mental health among students. The study aimed to determine the current level of implementation of the RTE Act and the Mental Health Care Bill, assess the level of mental health awareness among teachers, and evaluate school counseling competencies related to mental health issues. The study is quantitative in nature, with data collected from twenty randomly selected schools through a questionnaire. The results showed a gap between policy creation and its successful implementation. Awareness, reach, and quality of services are uneven, particularly in the field of school education. The study reveals that the reality falls short of expectations, and there are numerous ethical initiatives in policies and practices that require strong campaigns to support grassroots actions aimed at improving the condition of school children suffering from mental health issues in India. The authors recommend identifying core areas within education and health policies, emphasizing the need for counselors in schools.

Keywords: awareness, Mental Health Care Bill, policy documents, RTE, school teachers

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