Govt set to review school curriculum
The government will take a fresh look at the procedure of framing curriculum in schools to make it gender-sensitive and intervene during a child’s formative years to build sensitivity towards the fairer sex. This forms part of the key suggestions shared by the state governments with the Union home ministry.
The MHA has called a meeting of key Central ministries on Tuesday to share the Justice Verma committee suggestions and the issued flagged by the DGPs and chief secretaries in the January 4 meet convened by the Centre on safety of women.
Among key points likely to be discussed at Tuesday’s meet are the negative depiction of women in films and media and the need for self-regulation. Representatives of the ministries of human resource development (HRD), information and broadcasting, health and family welfare, woman and child development and ministry of law among others will be present in the meet which will discuss ways to implement the various suggestions falling within their domain .
The Justice Verma Committee has suggested that a comptroller and auditing body similar to the CAG, must be set up just for audit of the education sector. The government is also keen to suggest making it mandatory for all government and private schools to have counselling facilities which should also be made available at the colleges and the government and private sector to instil a sense of security among women, sources said. While the HRD ministry will be asked to examine the suggestions put forth by the Verma panel and the state governments, the Central ministeries will discuss steps to create awareness among the masses through gender sensitisation programmes using the media and audio visual medium. The state governments and police chiefs have told the MHA that gender sensitisation should be made compulsory for all public functionaries and officers. The MHA will also ask the I&B ministry to examine the issue of negative depiction f women in films, regional cinema, television, music and ways to build self regulatory mechanisms. Another recommnedation from states is to amend the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 to increase the punishment.
Post new comment