Teachers mentor over 2,000 Assam students through innovative support programme

More than 2,000 students across Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) in Assam have found critical academic and emotional support through a mentorship initiative that has significantly improved performance and well-being.

Launched under the Guwahati regional office of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), the ‘Each One Reach One’ programme has just completed its first year with promising results.

Designed to address academic struggles, mental health concerns, and behavioural issues, the programme assigns teachers as dedicated mentors to students identified as needing additional support. Unlike traditional remedial education, this initiative extends guidance to students facing challenges like anxiety, subject-related fear, attention deficits, and difficult home environments.

Currently running in 42 KVs under the Guwahati region, the programme saw 1,450 teachers voluntarily mentoring 2,260 students during the 2024–25 academic session. These included 183 students of Class 10, who recorded a 99.5% pass rate, and 285 Class 12 students, achieving a 98.6 per cent success rate.

Beyond academic outcomes, the programme has helped bridge developmental and emotional gaps. Data from the first session revealed that 29.4% of the mentored students faced literacy difficulties, 21.7% struggled with STEM subjects, 12.6% had attention-related challenges, and 9.1% showed emotional and behavioural concerns.

The initiative began after an interaction between students and the Guwahati regional office revealed a pattern of deep-rooted anxieties, including exam stress, pressure from home, and emotional disconnect. Teachers, school heads, and even senior administrative officers then stepped in to adopt students for year-long mentorships.

Among the early success stories are students like Keya, a Balvatika-3 child from KV AFS Jorhat, whose hyperactivity and writing challenges were addressed through sustained mentoring. Another student, Shristi from a KV in Guwahati, received academic and emotional support that helped her improve in Maths and Science while navigating personal issues at home. Mofida from KV IIT Guwahati overcame social anxiety, performance pressure, and lifestyle issues with structured guidance on mindfulness, nutrition, and routine.

The initiative is inspired by the National Education Policy 2020 and is now gaining traction across other KVS regional offices. Several regions have already begun piloting similar mentorship models, taking cues from Guwahati’s experience.

With its growing impact, ‘Each One Reach One’ is emerging as a replicable framework aimed at creating safer and more responsive learning environments for students facing diverse challenges. The programme is expected to expand further in the upcoming academic sessions. (PTI)