Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday said the lack of dreams and direction among schoolchildren is the biggest challenge for the future of the country and that the Delhi government’s ‘Desh Ke Mentor’ programme was teaching children to dream.
He was addressing the Desh Ke Mentor Conclave organised by the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights to celebrate the journey of mentors registered under the programme from all over the country and the mentees.
Launched in 2021, ‘Desh Ke Mentor’ programme is an initiative to provide guidance to students of Delhi government schools and help them make informed career choices by connecting them with volunteers who act as mentors. So far, 1 lakh mentees and 26,000 mentors have become a part of this programme, officials said.
“I am happy to see that mentors have gone out of their comfort zones to shape up the lives of students from Delhi government schools. Some helped the students choose the right career path, whereas some even went on to stop the child marriage of a student,” Mr. Sisodia said. He added that it is a matter of pride that the Delhi government has become a bridge between educated young professionals from all over the country and Delhi government school students through this programme and helping students choose the right career path.
The Minister said most children in government schools grow up in surroundings where families often struggle to make ends meet. Children from such backgrounds did not have enough support to make informed career choices.
“In the present times, protecting the nation from being directionless is as important as protecting the nation from enemies. The programme has worked towards giving direction to the future of hundreds of children studying in Delhi government schools. This is their biggest contribution to nation-building and securing the future of the nation,” Mr. Sisodia added.