Students belonging to the socially marginalised segments of society in the city will be imparted training to improve their life skills.
The Education and Sports Standing Committee of the Kochi Corporation and the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) are joining hands to provide soft-skill training to students belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) in the government schools in the city.
There are around 500 such students of Class 11 and 12 in the city schools, for whom the three-day resident programme is being organised. The programme will begin at the Seminar Complex of Cusat on November 10.
The parents of the students will also be covered under the programme, which is probably the first of its kind being tried in the Kochi Corporation.
“The local body and the university will sign a Memorandum of Understanding for the programme,” said Poornima Narayan, chairperson of the Education Standing Committee.
A half-day awareness programme has also been planned for the parents. “The event is also expected to support the parents to help students dream big and fulfil their dreams,” she said. The camp will cover topics such as verbal and non-verbal communication skill development, leadership training and team building exercise, easy ways to learn maths, and building scientific temper.
The students will be given directions to pursue academic and non-academic careers and motivated to become entrepreneurs.
Scholarships
They will also attend legal awareness programmes and exposed to avenues to effectively use the support system and scholarships available for them.
Counselling sessions will also be held for the students. The camp would also provide the students an opportunity to visit the labs of Cusat, she said.
The committee will use the ₹20 lakh from the Plan Fund of the local body for the event.
The Equal Opportunity Cell of Cusat and the Department of Youth Welfare are partnering with the civic body in implementing the programme.