E-Paper
Draft NCF bats for gender equality in schools
The draft for school education was released by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on Thursdayfor public feedback. A panel led by former Indian Space Research Organisation chief Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan prepared the draft in line with the National Education Policy 2020 that said school curriculum should include human values such as inclusion and gender equality.
To ensure gender equality in India’s schools, an expert panel has recommended gender-neutral uniforms, mixed-gender groups in sports, balanced gender representation in textbooks and classroom discussions on gender issues in the draft national curriculum framework.
The draft for school education was released by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on Thursdayfor public feedback. A panel led by former Indian Space Research Organisation chief Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan prepared the draft in line with the National Education Policy 2020 that said school curriculum should include human values such as inclusion and gender equality.
The proposed framework will set benchmarks for NCERT textbooks taught in schools affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education, as well as for teaching and learning practices, and assessment methods. It would be recommendatory for state education boards as education is a state subject.
The draft document made several suggestions to ensure gender equality and inclusion in classrooms, textbooks and other school activities. “School uniforms also have symbolic value. The colour as well as the kind of dress chosen communicates to the world the belief of the school,” the panel said. “One may opt for more traditional, modern or gender-neutral dress.”
Emphasizing that students of all genders be encouraged to participate in all sports, the draft document said: “Students of all genders should regularly play together across all age groups, keeping in mind safety considerations. Schools can make choices about having mixed teams in contact sports like kabaddi based on the socio-cultural climate and acceptance levels of such grouping in their locality/region.”
“Students become accustomed to playing together and grow in their maturity to play comfortably in mixed-gender groups over time,” it said. “So, this approach is best introduced as early as possible right from the foundational stage.”
While emphasizing that there should be debate and discussion in the classrooms, the draft document also cautioned teachers to avoid taking up certain issues and events they feel are sensitive. “This may lead to the exclusion, specifically of issues like caste, class, gender,” it said.
For textbooks, the document recommended that they should provide a gender balance.
In certain subjects, like vocational education, it said students from particular genders must not be slotted. “Boys and girls should have equal opportunities across working on land, manufacturing and services,” it said.
It also suggested including achievements of women and their participation in the field of science in school curriculum. “Describes the presence of women in science based on given data and readings. Describe socio-cultural, political, economic, and environmental factors affecting women’s participation in science, and efforts at the levels of governments, scientist communities, and individuals to ensure more women work as scientists,” the draft framework suggested.
The document further suggested that there should be separate washrooms in schools for different genders and students with disabilities. “Girls’ toilets should stock sanitary pads and provide covered dustbins for the safe disposal of used sanitary pads,” the document added.
