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CAREER EDUCATION AND COUNSELING DIVISION (CECD):

 This Division implements comprehensive career guidance and counseling program in schools to guide youth on career opportunities and help them cope with the multitude of issues that beset them. The Objectives of the Division are: 

•      To provide counseling services to students through the establishment of a systematic guidance and counseling program in all schools as an integral part of pastoral care.

•      To assist students to explore their potentials, limitations, aptitudes, skills and achievements to help them understand themselves better and thereby develop positive self-concept towards their life.

•      Create awareness and promote social recognition for technical-vocational skill amongst students and develop elementary technical-vocational skills amongst students through vocational club activities

•      To create awareness to students on career options and assist students in conducting career research by providing information on high school career options, course selection at plus two level, further studies, scholarships and other selection procedures.

To achieve the objectives, the following programs are implemented under the Division:

•      Career Education Program

•      Counseling Program

•      School Based Vocational education

•      School Based Parenting Education

 Career Education Program:

Under this program, students are familiarized on career opportunities in terms of training and higher studies through provision of resource materials (print as well as audio visuals), training of focal teachers and establishment of career resource corners in schools. Biannual publication of the newsletter “Looking ahead” to disseminate information on career options and opportunities is a regular feature. In collaboration with relevant agencies, a multi-sectoral task force has been constituted to look into emerging youth unemployment and opportunities. This program also participates in the National level job fair.

Counseling Program:

The program provides professional support to schools to avail basic counseling services through development of resource materials, training and placement of focal teachers in schools. Counseling services are also provided at the youth centres. To date about 346 teachers have been trained in basic counseling and placed in various schools. Collaborative linkages have been established with relevant partner organizations to address common issues (Bhutan Narcotic Control Agency (BNCA), Youth Development Fund (YDF), Psychiatry unit of JDWNRH, Narcotics and Psychotropic Control unit of RBP, YDRC).

Vocational Education Program:

The School-based Vocational Education (SBVE) program supports and promote vocational activities through strengthening the vocational clubs.  Vocational training clubs in carpentry, plumbing and electrical were introduced in 1999 in two lower secondary schools and seven middle secondary schools.  Later the unit even supported weaving, tailoring and book binding clubs.  With 30 trained teachers, today 39 schools have SBVE program.

 To make the clubs more interesting and offer alternatives to students other  vocational clubs  like hair dressing,  photography, art and music are proposed to be introduced in future.

School-based Parent Awareness Education Programme (SPEA):

This program was introduced to create a forum where the parents could share and learn from each other about child rearing experiences, whereby hoping to address the emerging youth issues in our rapidly changing society.  This program  is also a link between the parents and the schools so that they could work in collaboration for the benefit of the children. Currently the program has been introduced  in  112 schools and various resource materials like the SPEA manual, guidelines and audio visuals exists to assist the implementation of the program.