THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: This summer, while classrooms across schools lie deserted, groups of teachers are gathering in training halls in Thiruvananthapuram instead of taking a holiday. They have chosen to spend their vacation preparing for lessons that go far beyond textbooks — about safety, boundaries, and the realities children often confront too late.
In these sessions, teachers come together to tackle the “unaskable” questions, learning how to explain sensitive topics with clarity and compassion. Guiding them in this effort is Kanal Innovations, which has been working in the field of comprehensive sexual education since 2017.
With the support of the general education department, district administration, and the consultancy firm Guidehouse, Kanal is helping teachers transform hesitation into conf idence, ensuring that when schools reopen, children return to classrooms where safety is taught through knowledge, not trauma.
Under the banner of Project X, Kanal Innovations is training teachers in 1,000 government and aided schools across Thiruvananthapuram. The initiative aims to equip primary and upper-primary teachers to confidently address sensitive topics such as “safe touch” and “unsafe touch”.
Envisioned as a pilot, the project is designed to serve as a blueprint for a statewide rollout, ensuring that every child in Kerala learns about safety through awareness rather than experience.
The sessions have already resonated strongly with educators. “When it comes to sex education, there is often hesitancy in explaining certain terms needed to clarify children’s doubts. Project X helps address this gap,” said Hari Shankar, a teacher at SKVHS, Kadambattukonam, after attending a recent session in Attingal.
Jaisyraj K V of SN VHSS, Panayara, added, “The session helped me understand these issues both as a mother and as a teacher. I now feel better equipped to address the challenges faced by schoolchildren.”
The training programme follows a four-part module covering psychosocial development, gender relations, child protection laws, and effective communication with children. Rather than relying on a top-down lecture format, Project X adopts a “train-the-trainer” model, creating a ripple effect of informed, sensitive teaching practices across schools.
Anson P D Alexander, director of Kanal Innovations, emphasised the importance of teacher empowerment.
“The session is aimed at instilling the right attitude among teachers to impart comprehensive sexual education and address the issues faced by children. It ensures that such education is delivered sensitively, without vulgarity or inappropriate humour, while also empowering children to report abuse and equipping teachers to handle such cases with professionalism,” he said.
Previous departmental initiatives often fell short, relying on piecemeal approaches or rigidly scheduled sessions. Kanal’s research since 2017 indicates that children face the highest risk of abuse between Classes 2 and 6.
“Children can experience abuse without fully realising it, often during play. We train teachers to help children set boundaries and report such incidents,” explained Athira Krishnan of Kanal.