KOCHI: The committee of experts formed by the state government to take steps to ensure prevention-oriented programmes on sexual abuse in schools, on Wednesday informed the High Court that it has taken a decision to include the Marriage Act, voyeurism, stalking and gender dysphoria in the training module for teachers of higher secondary schools in the state. The decision was taken at a meeting held on March 10, attended by advocate Parvathy Menon, a member of the expert committee.
In another major decision, a sub-committee has been formed at the administrative level of the education department to place a proposal to the government as to how to handle those employees getting back to service after facing disciplinary action in POCSO cases. When the matter pertaining to inclusion of a prevention-oriented programme on sexual abuse as a mandatory part of the curriculum, the member of the eight-member expert committee submitted that a two-day workshop for preparation of module for sensitising teachers will be held on March 23 and 24.
The modules will reach primary and high schools after making necessary modifications in the higher secondary modules. The meeting will also take a decision on including child development officers as well as excise officers for the workshop. A special session for the Parents Teachers Association to impart awareness among parents of primary students will also be conducted.
The handbook prepared by the child development centre will be scrutinised and distributed in schools in the next academic year, said the committee member. The court adjourned the hearing of the case to March 28.