The holistic health and development of our students is of paramount importance to us as an institution which considers the interests of our students very seriously. This was the impetus for us to begin conversations focusing on student support. The TOGI Student Support platform was launched in February 2020 in response to what we saw as a great need within our student body and within our communities in general.
As with students throughout Africa, our TOGI students and those learners who they will serve at the schools they become employed at, are often living in societies plagued by crime, violence and trauma. It is our belief that if we intervene now, we could help to not only produce academically and pedagogically strong teachers but also educators who are emotionally intelligent, perceptive and trauma informed enough to recognise the need in their learners.
Our counselling and support unit is run by a registered health professional who offers the following services:
- Short-term counselling
- Support with the acquisition of healthy coping strategies
- Holistic health psychoeducation
- Support groups
- Trauma debriefing, etc.
- Referrals to external psychological services that provide more intensive and specific services (as needed)
These services are offered in various ways as is best accessible to our students. The communication platforms include, but are not limited to Skype, Zoom, telephonic and face-to-face sessions. Students who feel more comfortable writing to the counsellor to initiate contact are also welcome to do so.
Our intent remains to ensure that everyone at TOGI are committed to being healthy and productive members of society who act as agents of positive social change within our country.
What to do if in need of Student Support?
Students in need of support, can log onto the Student Support module on the LMS, or contact Ms Raeesa Mohamed-Ryklief via a message, should any assistance be required.