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Bhubaneswar: In a significant step toward strengthening the integration of health and well-being in teacher education, the UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia and the Regional Institute of Education (RIE), NCERT, Bhubaneswar, jointly launched a collaborative project aimed at shaping the future of teaching in India. The initiative underscores the growing importance of mental and physical well-being in ensuring quality education, aligning with global development goals. RIE Bhubaneswar is hosting a three-day (October 29 to 31) workshop that brings together educators, curriculum developers, and experts from across the region. Participants from various Teacher Education Institutions in Odisha, along with representatives from RIEs across India, are collaborating to develop supplementary materials for integrating health and well-being into the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP). The workshop is the first major initiative under the MoU between UNESCO and RIE, NCERT, aimed at developing nationwide curricular content on health and well-being. The collaboration seeks to equip future teachers with the knowledge, skills, and empathy to create safe and health-promoting classrooms, aligning with India’s NEP 2020 and SDGs 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 4 (Quality Education), and 5 (Gender Equality). In her address, RIE Bhubaneswar Principal Manasi Goswami lauded UNESCO’s support and stressed the need to integrate regional and global best practices in health and well-being into teacher education. “This partnership with UNESCO will offer technical guidance and global insights, ensuring health and well-being become core to our teaching practices,” she said. Former NCERT director and MoU committee chairperson H.K. Senapaty highlighted that the curriculum will include content on health, pedagogy, assessment strategies, and field engagement to meet the diverse needs of future educators. National Programme Officer for Education at UNESCO’s Regional Office for South Asia, Sarita Jadav, stressed the need to prioritise health and well-being in today’s education systems. “Promoting health and well-being among learners and educators is essential for ensuring quality education,” she said, adding that the collaboration aims to build the capacity of future teachers to create supportive and inclusive learning environments.
