When it comes to government efforts to ensure gender justice, the issues that come to mind are mostly those pertaining to preventing crime or setting up gender neutral toilets. Kerala, however, has taken things a step further and believes in a holistic approach to encourage gender neutrality in the state. And it wants to engage a crucial section of population which matters the most – children.
So while a section of the country went up in arms over a teachers’ training manual meant to make the nation’s schools more sensitive towards and inclusive of all genders, the Left government in this southern state has announced that it would back the idea of gender neutral uniforms in schools– a concept that was perhaps hitherto unthinkable for students and academics alike.
Valayanchirangara government Lower Primary School, near Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district, which has a strength of 754 students has taken the first step towards gender neutrality and introduced a new uniform for their students– a 3/4th shorts and shirt, irrespective of the gender.
The new dress code was planned in 2018 and was introduced in the lower primary section of the school and this academic year, when the schools were reopened after the pandemic induced lockdown, it has been extended to all students. Vivek V, the current president of the PTA, who was also part of the executive committee of the PTA in 2018 which took the decision, told PTI that they wanted all the children to enjoy the same level of freedom.
A senior official from the Education department said the government policy is to encourage gender neutrality and will fully support any school which plans to introduce such gender neutral uniform. However, a law with regard to this has not yet been discussed.
The Kerala government has earlier this month clarified that that there was no law asking teachers to wear sari with higher education minister R Bindu saying such practice demanding to wear sari was not conducive to Kerala’s progressive attitude. Bindu had said that one’s choice of dressing is an entirely personal matter and no one has the right to criticise or interfere in another’s sartorial choices.
The Higher Education department had in the second week of November issued a circular in this regard after complaints came from many teachers that several institutions in the state continue to practise such policing.
