Socio-Emotional Learning (SEL) isn’t just another buzzword gaining traction globally. It took years of research to recognise SEL as a crucial element for children’s holistic development and long-term success. Formally developed as a framework in 1994, SEL was designed to address students’ social and emotional issues while equipping them with essential life skills. The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) was established in the United States in the same year to support the connection between practice, policy, and research. SEL’s importance was further highlighted by Daniel Goleman in his 1995 book Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, which argued that emotional intelligence is often a better predictor of success than IQ—and, importantly, that it can be cultivated through education.
However, SEL remained largely ignored in the Indian education system until the introduction of the National Education Policy (NEP) in 2020. This policy, replacing the 1986 Education Policy after more than three decades, finally recognized the importance of SEL and proposed its integration into the curriculum. Under the NEP, SEL is viewed as part of broader mental health support programs to foster students’ emotional well-being and overall development.
This article explores the efforts made to integrate SEL in the schools in Kashmir, the challenges faced, and the steps that could improve implementation.
What is SEL?
SEL is defined as a process of acquiring competencies that help students understand and manage their emotions, demonstrate empathy towards others, and build healthy, meaningful relationships. With over 40 frameworks used globally to promote and measure SEL, CASEL’s model remains the most widely adopted. It outlines five core competencies:
- Self-awareness: Understanding one’s emotions and how they influence behaviour while recognizing personal strengths and weaknesses.
- Self-management: The ability to regulate emotions, thoughts, and behaviours in different situations, enabling goal-setting and motivation.
- Social awareness: Developing empathy for people from diverse backgrounds and acting with an ethical mindset in one’s community.
- Relationship skills: Building and maintaining positive relationships, resolving conflicts effectively, and knowing when to seek or offer help.
- Responsible decision-making: Choosing actions while keeping ethics, safety, and the well-being of oneself and others in mind.
At its core, SEL aims to teach students not just how to succeed academically, but how to navigate real-world situations. Research consistently shows that SEL is crucial for both a child’s well-being and academic success. Studies conducted by CASEL have highlighted that students who are exposed to SEL programs outperform their peers academically, maintain stronger relationships, and manage their emotions more effectively.
SEL in the Context of Kashmir
No system of education can detach itself from the social and cultural context it operates within. The educational system must respond to the specific needs and challenges of a particular culture or society. In Kashmir, decades of political unrest and conflict have left the population as a disadvantaged group, and severely disrupted social, economic, and cultural structures in ways that have deep and lasting effects. Education, a cornerstone of human development, has been in a continuous state of disrepair due to the prolonged conflict. This disruption has hindered the ability of Kashmiri students to grow and thrive, leaving them behind when compared to students in regions unaffected by conflict.
Apart from this, the conflict and unrest have left a profound psychological impact on the region’s population. Research indicates that many children in Kashmir are at risk of developing emotional and psychological disorders, including post-traumatic stress. Constant exposure to fear, uncertainty, and violence diminishes their drive for personal achievement and fosters a pessimistic outlook on life.
In such a context, schools can do more than just provide academic education—they can become spaces where students are equipped with skills to navigate the complexities of both personal and societal challenges. Introducing SEL can play a transformative role. By helping students understand their emotions, SEL can offer them tools to make sense of their complex lived realities. SEL can help foster autonomy—the ability to identify, confront, and solve problems independently. In a region like Kashmir, where external circumstances are often beyond individual control, this sense of personal agency is critical. More importantly, SEL has the potential to empower students to pursue their aspirations, despite the challenges they face.
Current Efforts
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 brought a welcome and much-needed focus on the importance of SEL. Since its introduction, various Indian states have collaborated with nonprofit organizations such as Labhya, Dream a Dream, and Piramal Foundation to integrate SEL into the curriculum, promoting the emotional and psychological well-being of students.
The Directorate of School Education in Jammu and Kashmir, in collaboration with Piramal Foundation and Red Pencil International, launched the pilot Art-Based Capacity Building and Training (ACBT) Project in 2022. This pilot program focused on using art as a therapeutic medium to foster social-emotional skills among students. The project’s core strategy involves training of public school teachers as master trainers, who are then equipped to implement art-based SEL interventions in their schools. After six months of training, 112 teachers from 20 districts across Jammu and Kashmir were trained. Of these, 60 master trainers now lead SEL programs in 60 schools in the Kashmir division, using creative arts to help students express their emotions constructively.
After the pilot project, the Piramal Foundation launched the Aesthetic Literacy project with support from the Directorate of School Education Kashmir in March 2023. According to the Piramal Foundation, the Aesthetic Literacy project aims to build “sensibilities around feelings and emotions” while helping students connect with themselves, others, and the world. The project also incorporates 21st-century skills, including future readiness, social and emotional learning, gender sensitivity, and inclusion, providing a holistic approach to education.
Challenges and The Way Forward
Implementing Social Emotional Learning (SEL) at a systemic level is essential but comes with several challenges.
First, securing widespread support from all stakeholders which includes administrators, parents, teachers, and students can be difficult. Each group may have different levels of understanding and commitment to SEL, making alignment challenging.
Second, there is a lack of culturally adaptable assessment tools to measure students’ social and emotional competencies effectively. Without these tools, it becomes difficult to evaluate the success of SEL programs and adjust them to suit regional needs.
Additionally, there is still a lack of awareness about the importance of mental health in Kashmir, which can hinder efforts to implement SEL programs. Parents, teachers, and students themselves may be resistant to initiatives that focus on emotional and social development, viewing them as secondary to academic achievement.
Despite these challenges, some actionable steps can be taken to make SEL a valuable part of the educational framework. Moving forward, several key recommendations can help in better integration of SEL in schools across the region.
Building Region-Specific Evidence for SEL
One of the steps is to work towards developing Kashmir-specific evidence that can shape SEL initiatives. Evidence-based practice (EBP) ensures that programs are not only effective but also adaptable across various participants, formats, and environments. Researchers need to continually assess which aspects of SEL are most beneficial for Kashmiri students and refine these interventions to suit their unique circumstances.
Sustaining and Scaling SEL Programs
Beyond initial implementation, there must be a focus on the sustainability and scalability of successful SEL programs. Questions to consider include: How can schools be empowered to conduct these programs independently? How can schools measure the impact of SEL interventions and continuously improve them?
To achieve this, a collaborative approach is needed, one that brings together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, educators, and community members. This synergy will enable schools to create environments where students can thrive emotionally and socially.
Extending SEL Beyond the Classroom
Research shows that SEL programs are more effective when extended into the home, highlighting the importance of family and community involvement. Schools should foster two-way communication between educators and families, providing caregivers with a better understanding of child development and the value of SEL.
Family partnerships can also include learning activities that extend into the home, engaging parents and caregivers in the process. This approach was successfully implemented through Project Sampoorna in Jharkhand, where schools worked closely with families to reinforce SEL at home, creating a more holistic and supportive environment for students.
In conclusion, work and efforts need to continue to build locally relevant programs that reflect the region’s unique needs, promoting evidence-based practice, and fostering collaboration among key stakeholders. With a concerted effort from educators, community members, and policymakers, SEL can become a transformative force in helping Kashmiri students navigate real-life challenges and pursue their aspirations.
References
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0031721718815668
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3068807/
https://mgiep.unesco.org/article/key-challenges-for-implementing-sel-sdm-part-4
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