Chandigarh, August 11: A comprehensive teacher training drive has commenced across twelve districts in Punjab to help school educators identify early warning signs of emotional distress and drug vulnerability among adolescents. Organized under the Bhagwant Mann administration’s Yudh Nashean Virudh campaign, the initiative will cover senior secondary and high school educators in over 500 planned training sessions. The state-wide roll-out builds on successful preliminary programs conducted for school principals in border areas and a pilot workshop in Amritsar where over 2,800 teachers participated. Authorities declared that the curriculum focuses on equipping staff with practical skills to foster healthier, stigma-free learning environments.
Emphasizing the vital role of school faculty in safeguarding student wellbeing, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh declared that no child in the state should suffer in silence or face discrimination when seeking help. Our teachers spend more time with our children than most, noticing the silences, absences, and subtle changes that others might miss, Dr Balbir Singh asserted. He declared that the training enables educators to recognize risk factors early and connect struggling students with support before problems escalate. Supported by national drug demand reduction frameworks and local data intelligence units, the program requires participating teachers to take a pledge and organize follow-up interactive activities with students in their respective classrooms.
