Illustration: suvajit dey
HYDERABAD: Though chapters on reproduction and menstruation have been part of school syllabus, it has been a topic of taboo. Often, the topic is either skipped or teachers skim through them without attempting to make students understand it. This, however, is likely to change soon. Female teachers in government schools would now undergo a training on health issues faced by adolescent girls, including hygiene that needs to be maintained during menstruation and health issues faced after puberty.
Besides, training would also be provided on details of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Experts on the subjects would explain the topics to the teachers, who will teach the lessons to girl students. Social workers said that there were instances when girl students shared that they did not understand what puberty or menstruation is and how they panicked when they bled. The girl students keep it to themselves and did not know whom to share their concerns with.
While puberty, menstruation and myths around it figure in State school text books, Hyderabad district collector Yogita Rana said that they are now exclusively focusing on these topics. Officials said they want to make girl students understand the kind of changes their body undergoes after puberty, kind of care that needs to be taken when they menstruate and maintaining hygiene during menstruation. Besides these topics, the students would also be made aware about other health issues faced during adolescence.
“There are around 24,000 girls in 2,346 Social Welfare, Minority Welfare, Secondary and other forms of government schools in Hyderabad district. One teacher from each of the schools would be trained in these subjects. The first training session would be held on June 19,” said the district collector Yogita Rana. State Education department’s district inspector of schools, Jonnala Prasanna said that in a few days, a decision would be taken on whether classes have to be held once or twice a month.
The discussions over holding the awareness session began after a meeting was held between State Education minister Kadiyam Srihari and Health minister Dr C Laxma Reddy in the month of February-2018. Gynecologists working in government hospitals, staff from other sections of Health department, would be roped in to train the teachers. A manual on the training would be designed too.
