From Our Correspondent
TURA, Nov 11: Aiming to nurture future leaders, the “Building Young Leaders: Empowering Adolescent Boys and Girls with Transformational Life Skills” initiative took a significant step forward on Monday.
Hosted at St. Claret Higher Secondary School, Ampati, South West Garo Hills, the event honoured the progress made through this initiative by celebrating students, teachers, and facilitators. BDO of Betasing Block Crystal Ripamchi N Sangma served as the chief guest, and SEO from the office of the Jt. DSEL, Tura, Taposh Ch Marak, was the guest of honour.
The programme was chaired by June Hannifer Warbah, Programme Coordinator at the Meghalaya Institute of Governance.
Notably, the programme’s foundation lies in empowering teachers first, training them on core life skills so they can, in turn, mentor students at their respective schools. Teachers who participated in this training were encouraged to introduce topics like self-awareness, confidence, communication, decision-making, assertiveness, sexual rights, health and hygiene, and intergenerational dialogue into their classrooms. By doing so, they would enable young people to build confidence, improve communication, and foster a sense of self and purpose. To measure the impact, the programme conducts regular monitoring and evaluation to assess students’ understanding and confirm that classes are actively being conducted. Monday’s event also provided a platform for teachers and students to share their experiences and reflections on the life skills they’ve learned.
In acknowledgment of their dedication, students were celebrated with a felicitation ceremony, recognising them as ambassadors of the program, encouraging their peers to embrace these transformational skills.
The Meghalaya Institute of Governance, headed by its Director, Aiban Swer, with support from educational institutions and the state government, expressed joy in witnessing the programme’s reach expanding across Meghalaya. Having started this year with Training of Trainers (TOT) sessions for teachers, the programme has impacted adolescents statewide.
