Kerala government introduces sexual awareness program in grade 7 textbooks, informs High Court

KOCHI: Aimed at educating students, grade 7 textbooks will now include a sexual awareness program, the Kerala State government told the High Court on Monday. 

A copy of Part I of the STD VII textbook, which will be implemented in schools using the Kerala curriculum and include a sexual awareness program, was given by the State government's counsel during the hearing. 

The advocate appearing for the Central Board of Secondary Education also informed the court that CBSE has launched 4 manuals to be released by end of March, 2024 for sexual awareness classes from the next academic year. This development was revealed to Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas who was hearing a bail application when it noted the increasingly high rate of sexual offences against children due to lack of awareness. 

Then Court then invoked its writ jurisdiction and impleaded the State of Kerala, the Central Board of Secondary Education and the Kerala State Legal Services Authority and instructed them to take action to bring a prevention-focused curriculum into the school to raise awareness of sexual abuse among the student body.
After noting the stand of both the education boards, the judge said They have got to get it ingrained in their mind.

Regarding the pledge designed for students to reiterate their rights around bodily consent, the Court opined that the same was a good thing for the younger students. You are subtly telling what is it. 

After Advocate Parvathy Menon (for Victim Rights Centre) pointed out that the Union Territory of Lakshadweep also should take similar measures, the court impleaded the Lakshadweep Administration as an additional respondent.