Measures Being Taken To Introduce Age-Appropriate Sexual Awareness Curriculum In Schools, State Informs Kerala High Court

The Director of General Education has informed Kerala High Court that steps are being taken to commence classes related to sexual awareness in schools from the upcoming academic year, and measures are being taken to make it a part of the curriculum as soon as possible.

The DGE is the Chairman of the committee of experts formed by the State Government on the specific directions of the court in August 2022, to create age-appropriate sexual awareness curriculum in schools.

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas had previously expressed his disappointment at the State for not taking measures to include prevention-oriented programmes on sexual abuse as part of school curriculum. In this regard, the court had ordered the Chairman and Convenor of the committee, the Director General of Education and the Additional Director of Education, to remain present before the court on February 27 to explain the details of the committee meetings and the measures taken by them.

The court was informed the court that a meeting of the committee was held on 23.02.2023, and that preliminary steps have already been taken to implement the directions of the court. The committee also informed the court that the report dated 17.02.2022 of the Committee, that the court had previously raised an issue with for being misleading, contained an inadvertent mistake and apologised for the same.

The court expressed satisfaction with the explanation provided by the committee and informed the DGE that the court will continue to monitor its progress in implementing the programme in schools. The court also directed the committee to include Adv. Parvathy Menon, the Project Co-ordinator of the Victim Rights Centre under KELSA as a member of the Committee.

"Since the Kerala State Legal Services Authority had made significant suggestions regarding the topics to be included in the curriculum, their presence through a representative could enrich the Committees deliberations. Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KELSA) can contribute significantly in the creation of the curriculum," the court suggested.

The court had on previous occasions expressed its concern at the alarming rise in the number of sexual offences committed on school children and noticing that, in many instances, the perpetrators themselves were students, observed that the voice of the victims of sexual abuse should not be suppressed, and it is only through education that the victim can be empowered to speak out.

In August 2022, it had directed the state to constitute a committee of experts to look into the issue. Even though the matter came before the court in relation to a bail application, the Court invoked its jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution for issuing directions to the State Government and CBSE to identify the mode and methodology for imparting an age-appropriate prevention-oriented programme on sexual abuse, saying there is a lack of awareness among the youngsters on the consequences of sexual offences and their ramifications.

Case Title: Anoop V State of Kerala

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