Ongole: Career guidance programme for students of classes 9 & 10

Ongole(Prakasam District): Teachers should play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the students, stated Prakasam District Collector AS Dinesh Kumar.

Following the instructions of the Collector, education and social welfare departments along with the administrations of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas and Zilla Parishad High Schools are prepared to conduct 'Career Guidance' programme for Class IX and X students, for the first time in the State in Prakasam district.

Collector Dinesh Kumar won accolades from students, parents and teachers for his weekly programme 'Coffee with Collector'. In this, programme, where on every Saturday evening, he will spend some time with the students of government schools and enquire about their passions and plans for higher education and motivating them towards a successful future.

After observing that most of the students he interacted with are lacking information and idea on higher education opportunities and career prospects, the Collector designed 'Career Guidance' programme for the students of Class IX and X of government schools in the district. With the participation of the officials of education and social welfare departments and Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, the district administration envisioned a plan to identify resource persons from the working teachers to take special classes for students to plan their future according to their interests. Education and social welfare departments conducted an orientation programme for resource persons in Ongole on Wednesday and ordered them to start the Career Guidance programme from Friday.

Speaking at the orientation programme, Collector Dinesh Kumar suggested that teachers should not limit themselves to teaching in classrooms, but they should also act as guides for students' future. He appreciated teachers for coming forward to act as resource persons in the career guidance programme and asked them to start the programme this Friday. He advised the teachers to take one special period for Class IX and X students every Friday, for the next 22 weeks.

They were also told to prepare from the modules provided to them on various courses and their scope and be ready to clarify the doubts of students. The resource persons were further directed to see that students maintain a separate notebook for career guidance programme and to submit a report regularly.

District SC Welfare and Empowerment Officer N Lakshma Naik said that the career guidance programme will continue up to March 31, 2023, in which resource persons will create awareness among students on selecting their careers after tenth class.

He informed that resource persons will visit welfare hostels on every Thursday and take special period to students on career guidance.

Lakshma Naik said that they are providing information on how to pursue a career with course details, fees, institutes and starting salary in a book 'Samachara Deepika', specially prepared for the Career Guidance programme. He said that the book provides information on various diploma, technical and professional courses like engineering, medicine, agriculture, accountancy, management, journalism, and education along with the opportunities in government including the civil services.