'Unfortunate': Activists Disappointed Over Dropped NCERT Manual To Make Schools Trans Inclusive

Last week, the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) came up with an inspiring training manual for teachers of government schools.

The training manual titled ¡®Inclusion of Transgender Children in School Education: Concerns and Roadmap', aimed at educating and sensitising teachers towards the practices and strategies to make schools sensitive and inclusive for transgender and gender non-conforming students.

Recommendations of the training manual

The manual, published by the Department of Gender Studies at NCERT, recommended the provision of gender-neutral toilets and uniforms, discontinuing practices that segregate children for various school activities based on their gender, inviting members of the transgender community to speak on campus, among others.

The manual explained concepts such as gender identity, gender incongruence, gender dysphoria, gender affirmation, gender expression, gender conformity, gender variance, heterosexuality, homosexuality, asexuality, bisexuality, transnegativity, etc, in a detailed glossary.

It also provided definitions of terms that people use to identify themselves, for instance, gender fluid, agender, transfeminine, and transmasculine.

Reuters

It aimed to sensitise "teachers and teacher educators regarding aspects of gender diversity keeping gender-nonconforming and transgender children at centre stage.¡±

Ragi Gupta, a 23-year-old student, and writer, (pronouns they/them), believe the manual if implemented, would help create safer spaces for children who do not align with the gender binaries and differ in orientation.

It also listed out practices and strategies to make schools sensitive and inclusive for transgender and gender non-conforming children.

These strategies include the provision of gender-neutral toilets and uniforms, sensitisation on non-teaching staff, discontinuing practices that segregate children into various school activities based on their gender, inviting members of the transgender community to speak on campus, among others.

Dr Harikeerthan Raghuram, Project Coordinator for TransCare initiative and a public health researcher told Indiatimes that the initiative by the NCERT was a pioneering one to bring about a change in society and how we raise children.

¡°The manual itself focuses on making schools inclusive for transgender children, and also speaks about how schools have been very rigid about gender norms in terms of what is male and what is female. What we need to understand is that a person is born with certain sex -male or female - but their gender identity and gender expression could be completely different. It does not have to align with what they are born with.¡±

¡°The manual not only speaks for transgender children but also children who want to express themselves otherwise or identify differently,¡± he told Indiatimes.

It highlighted how traditional segregation of toilets is used to brainwash children into believing that there are only two sexes, men and women.

Objection by child rights body

While NCERT took measures to make schools more inclusive and gender-neutral, the child rights body National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) sought rectification of ¡°anomalies¡± in the document on November 2.

¡°The text of the manual suggests gender-neutral infrastructure for children that does not commensurate with their gender realities and basic needs. Also, the idea of creating and removing binaries shall deny them equal rights of children of diverse biological needs. Second, this approach will expose children to unnecessary psychological trauma due to contradictory environments at home and in school,¡± NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said in the letter to NCERT.

¡°It is also highlighted in the manual (chapter 3) that teachers are suggested to discuss with students about puberty blockers and their availability for adolescents. Further, the background and qualifications of the members of the drafting committee were not verified,¡± the NCPCR letter added while commenting on the manual.

However, researchers differ from the concerns raised by the NCPCR on this matter.

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Ragi adds that creating comfortable and inclusive spaces doesn't mean that the comfort of others is compromised in any way. "The gender-neutral environment is helpful to all people, regardless of their gender or their orientation," she says, adding that a gender-neutral environment at home and in schools would help young people understand themselves better.

The manual is not available on NCERT¡¯s website now.

Harikeerthan said that while the NCERT manual was very positive, it¡¯s unfortunate that it had to be taken down.

The Association for Transgender Health in India (ATHI), a group of medical practitioners working towards transgender-inclusive healthcare in India, has issued a statement in solidarity with the NCERT.

The statement also mentions that teacher sensitisation and training is crucial to the well-being of young transgender individuals

The road ahead

Many queer activists are approaching authorities to communicate their support for the manual to national authorities.

Many parents of queer- and/or trans-identifying children are writing to the NCPCR and NCERT in support of the manual.

Screenshot | Change.org

Dr Nilakshi Roy, who is a parent of a queer child, has launched a petition on change.org and is seeking 5,000 signatures before sending it to the NCERT Joint Director.

Currently, the petition has over 3,800 signatures on the portal. In the letter, Roy states, "It is rightful to include the chapter to the NCERT training manual so that the country can at least make up for the lost time and rise to the occasion as well-informed citizens. I strongly suggest that the training material be retained and used effectively."

However, only time will tell if NCERT and NCPCR will listen.