The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCC&I), as the corporate social responsibility (CSR) implementing partner of Exide Industries Limited, jointly organised a training workshop on ‘Inclusive Education and Mental Wellness in School Education’.
This initiative was also supported by the Early Childhood Association (ECA). Thirty-seven city schools took part in the session held on the Bengal Chamber premises on September 14.
The initiative aimed to focus on inclusive education in schools and to promote positive mental health for future generations. The programme began with a welcome address by Sukanya Bose, director of BCC&I, followed by the theme address by Nishant Sinha, CSR head of Exide Industries Ltd. Sinha said: “Schools, Institutions and society at large must commit to override the difference of diverse abilities and provide a fair chance to all individuals to learn and develop and acquire necessary skills for life.”
Series of case discussions on inclusive education and mental health in childhood (From left) Minakshi Kusari, audiologist and speech language pathologist; Seema Sapru, principal, The Heritage School; Soumitra Dutta, senior consultant paediatrician; Abir Mukherjee, consultant psychiatrist; Ishitha Mohanka, principal and owner, pre-primary school chain; Lipika Bhattacharya, special educator; Susmita Halder, dean, arts and social studies, and professor, department of psychology, St Xavier’s University
A special address by Suman Sood, director and principal, BD Memorial Junior School; adviser, BDM International & IVWS; National Core Committee Member, Early Childhood Association Soumitra Dutta, senior consultant paediatrician, set the tone for the programme.
After the felicitation of distinguished guests, the main session featured a series of case discussions on the implementation of inclusive education and childhood mental health strategies. These discussions included insights from leading experts Soumitra Dutta along with Abir Mukherjee, consultant psychiatrist; Susmita Halder, associate professor of psychology at St Xavier’s University, Kolkata; Lipika Bhattacharya, special educator; Ishitha Mohanka, principal and owner of a pre-primary school chain, and Seema Sapru, principal, The Heritage School.
The key topics addressed included the role of educators in fostering resilience and promoting non-judgmental listening, the challenges of working with non-compliant parents, and the legal and ethical responsibilities involved in reporting and handling cases of abuse under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POSCO) Act. Also the session highlighted the importance of primary prevention in schools through education on boundaries and the concepts of good or bad touch, as well as the significance of empathetic communication in supporting children’s emotional health. The principals, decision-makers and senior teachers from 37 Kolkata schools participated in this training session.
This initiative marked a significant step towards creating a more supportive, inclusive, and mentally healthy educational environment for children. The session concluded with closing remarks by Sukanya Bose, reaffirming BCC&I’s commitment to mental wellness in education.