Page 58 - 15NOV2019E

Injecting gender equality

among pre-schoolers

NCERT’s initiative to break gender stereotypes at the pre-school level is a progressive move,
parents and educationists tell nibedita saha

ntroducing ‘gender equality’ into NCERT’s move and said, “Teaching chil- school. The age of 3 to 6 is very delicate
the new system at preschool level dren values and morals are very neces- for a child to learn anything which he/
is critical in itself and will hopefully sary at this stage for their bright future. she will carry lifelong. Shailja added,
bring the change from the very More than anything else this will erase “Gender sensitisation is very much
I beginning. This initiative of making the idea of stopping anyone to do any- important and when it happens at an
children gender sensitise is to break the thing because of his/her gender.” early age, it automatically makes the
notion of prolonged gender discrimina- Shailja, a mother of two, thinks this is children responsible and stops gender-
tion which is eating our society inside out a “good initiative as preschool is the time discrimination in the future.”
like a termite. when children go out of their house and NCERT is the council which assists
Creating awareness about gender spend hours with people from the out- the state government to bring qual -
will ensure that children do not become side world”. She said, “For a 3-year-old ity improvement in the education sector
biased when they grow up and ease the kid, preschool is the first time outdoor by suggesting and framing different
process of women empowerment as a experience he/she has. So, the impres- policies and programmes. It has de-
bigger picture. Ritu, resident of Mayur sion they receive there becomes their signed and framed the three-year pre-
Vihar Phase 1, said, “I have faced gender first-hand memory and experience of school curriculum with a developmental
discrimination at every stage of my life the society.” approach where teachers and parents
and I don’t want my child to be a part of A child shares space with other kids/ both play a vital role in achieving a posi-
the same process.” people and develops his/her thought tive outcome.
The mother of three appreciated process for the very first time at pre- The curriculum connects teachers

Tehelka / 15 november 2019 58 www.Tehelka.com