First of its kind, Tamil Nadu launches 24 hour helpline for students

Chennai, March 1: Calming the students over the stressful situation created because of the on going exam fever, the State of Tamil Nadu has launched a 24 hour helpline for the first time in the country. This helpline would provide information on education and offer guidance to the students.

 

Chief Minister K Palaniswami formally launched the toll free number 14417 through the 24-hour Education Guidance Centre set up at the Secretariat that would offer information relating to school education and offer guidance to students.

Palaniswami launched the facility at a function, following the announcement in the Assembly that a toll free help line would be set up at Rs 2 crore. Earlier, the Education Minister K A Sengottaiyan had informed that a special student helpline shall be set up. This would serve as a platform where students and parents can get their grievances addressed. And career guidance will also be provided for higher secondary students. This will be of great help for the students in rural areas.

The decision was taken by the education department of Tamil Nadu as a new way of dealing issues of academic bureaucracy, stress caused by exams, even children looking to get help for homework, and other related issues.

It was identified that the students as well as parents did not have enough information, and that they were dissatisfied with the circulars pinned on school notice boards, or the reports announced in the media.

There was a 5-member team including psychologists, retired teaching staff members, education officials, career guidance professionals, etc. to handle the calls received in the toll-free number. These calls shall get recorded. Maximum efforts will be invested in addressing all their grievances at the earliest. When this is not possible, the issues shall be handed over to the hands of respective district officer.

Once the call is received, the emergency response officer will collect complete details of the caller, note down the nature of call and the details shall be forwarded to the concerned officials, said Emergency Management and Research Institute officials.

EMRI further states that in 48 hours, a follow-up call will be made for all the unresolved issues. The respective department heads will be intimated with the daily or monthly reports. Officials further said that the helpline centre would generate data. And this will be helpful for the planners to make timely interventions and course corrections.

Adding up to their list of achievements, it seems that there is no stopping the government to launch new and interesting techniques to connect with the audience.