Maharashtra govt, UNICEF breaking gender stereotypes among children
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The Maharashtra government and the UNICEF have partnered to expand the Gender Transformative Programme to 120 schools in Dharashiv district by this month to address the root cause of discriminatory gender norms and stereotypes, officials said.Dharashiv district is known for high gender disparities in the state.The gender transformative programme (GTP) aims to provide equal opportunity of development to children in all their diversity, to prevent drop-out and child marriage and promote girls' education , according to the District Institute of Education Training (DIET).The first phase of the programme, rolled out in 2022 by the UNICEF in 40 schools in Dharashiv (previously Osmanabad), has reached 4,958 students (2,291 girls, 2,667 boys), 193 teachers and more than 9,000 community members through play-based curricula and gender fairs, according to the GTP data.The programme is aimed at adolescents aged 10-14 years studying in grades 6-8, teachers, education functionaries, school management committee members, parents and the larger community."The Gender Transformative Programme has increased engagement of women, teachers and students in various activities for gender equity . The students have become more confident and are leading the programme as champions, inspiring others to follow similar thoughts," Dr Dayanand Jathnure, DIET principal, Dharashiv, Maharashtra, told PTI."The community's involvement is more now and everyone is working collectively to achieve gender equality," he said.The second phase of the programme, which was implemented in 2024, aims to expand to 120 schools, reach 21,060 children, 620 teachers and 12,000 community members, as per the data.So far, the programme has reached 8,560 children in the district, according to the data.Looking at the behavioural change among children and the community, the Maharashtra government in collaboration with the MSCERT (Maharashtra State Council of Educational Research and Training) is mulling to expand the GTP in model schools across 36 districts in the state, according to the DIET."The Gender Transformative Programme in Dharashiv is more than empowerment - it's a movement to shift mindsets, challenge deep-rooted norms and build a future where every girl and boy has equal opportunities to thrive," chief of the UNICEF Maharashtra field office, Sanjay Singh said.Along with this, the GTP engages with schools, local leaders, district and state administration, especially the MSCERT, he said."Seeing the success of the Dharashiv intervention, the MSCERT has built a capacity of 72 DIET trainers towards scaling up the intervention across the state. We are happy to collaborate with the state to scale up the intervention across Maharashtra," Singh said."By engaging communities, schools and local leaders, we are building a foundation for lasting gender equity in the region," he added.However, one of the programme implementing partners, Men Against Violence and Abuse ( MAVA), said in the initial stage of implementing the GTP, they faced resistance from both teachers and parents in the community.There was also a lot of hesitance and a sense of shyness among the children, MAVA said.But when the programme progressed, both teachers and parents became supportive while children became less hesitant and started asking questions on gender stereotypes , it said.
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Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Maharashtra govt, UNICEF breaking gender stereotypes among children
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Maharashtra government and the UNICEF have partnered to expand the Gender Transformative Programme to 120 schools in Dharashiv district by this month to address the root cause of discriminatory gender norms and stereotypes, officials district is known for high gender disparities in the gender transformative programme (GTP) aims to provide equal opportunity of development to children in all their diversity, to prevent drop-out and child marriage and promote girls' education , according to the District Institute of Education Training (DIET).The first phase of the programme, rolled out in 2022 by the UNICEF in 40 schools in Dharashiv (previously Osmanabad), has reached 4,958 students (2,291 girls, 2,667 boys), 193 teachers and more than 9,000 community members through play-based curricula and gender fairs, according to the GTP programme is aimed at adolescents aged 10-14 years studying in grades 6-8, teachers, education functionaries, school management committee members, parents and the larger community."The Gender Transformative Programme has increased engagement of women, teachers and students in various activities for gender equity . The students have become more confident and are leading the programme as champions, inspiring others to follow similar thoughts," Dr Dayanand Jathnure, DIET principal, Dharashiv, Maharashtra, told PTI."The community's involvement is more now and everyone is working collectively to achieve gender equality," he second phase of the programme, which was implemented in 2024, aims to expand to 120 schools, reach 21,060 children, 620 teachers and 12,000 community members, as per the far, the programme has reached 8,560 children in the district, according to the at the behavioural change among children and the community, the Maharashtra government in collaboration with the MSCERT (Maharashtra State Council of Educational Research and Training) is mulling to expand the GTP in model schools across 36 districts in the state, according to the DIET."The Gender Transformative Programme in Dharashiv is more than empowerment - it's a movement to shift mindsets, challenge deep-rooted norms and build a future where every girl and boy has equal opportunities to thrive," chief of the UNICEF Maharashtra field office, Sanjay Singh with this, the GTP engages with schools, local leaders, district and state administration, especially the MSCERT, he said."Seeing the success of the Dharashiv intervention, the MSCERT has built a capacity of 72 DIET trainers towards scaling up the intervention across the state. We are happy to collaborate with the state to scale up the intervention across Maharashtra," Singh said."By engaging communities, schools and local leaders, we are building a foundation for lasting gender equity in the region," he one of the programme implementing partners, Men Against Violence and Abuse ( MAVA), said in the initial stage of implementing the GTP, they faced resistance from both teachers and parents in the was also a lot of hesitance and a sense of shyness among the children, MAVA when the programme progressed, both teachers and parents became supportive while children became less hesitant and started asking questions on gender stereotypes , it said.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Maharashtra govt, UNICEF breaking gender stereotypes among children
Mumbai, The Maharashtra government and the UNICEF have partnered to expand the Gender Transformative Programme to 120 schools in Dharashiv district by this month to address the root cause of discriminatory gender norms and stereotypes, officials said. Dharashiv district is known for high gender disparities in the state. The gender transformative programme aims to provide equal opportunity of development to children in all their diversity, to prevent drop-out and child marriage and promote girls' education, according to the District Institute of Education Training . The first phase of the programme, rolled out in 2022 by the UNICEF in 40 schools in Dharashiv , has reached 4,958 students , 193 teachers and more than 9,000 community members through play-based curricula and gender fairs, according to the GTP data. The programme is aimed at adolescents aged 10-14 years studying in grades 6-8, teachers, education functionaries, school management committee members, parents and the larger community. "The Gender Transformative Programme has increased engagement of women, teachers and students in various activities for gender equity. The students have become more confident and are leading the programme as champions, inspiring others to follow similar thoughts," Dr Dayanand Jathnure, DIET principal, Dharashiv, Maharashtra, told PTI. "The community's involvement is more now and everyone is working collectively to achieve gender equality," he said. The second phase of the programme, which was implemented in 2024, aims to expand to 120 schools, reach 21,060 children, 620 teachers and 12,000 community members, as per the data. So far, the programme has reached 8,560 children in the district, according to the data. Looking at the behavioural change among children and the community, the Maharashtra government in collaboration with the MSCERT is mulling to expand the GTP in model schools across 36 districts in the state, according to the DIET. "The Gender Transformative Programme in Dharashiv is more than empowerment - it's a movement to shift mindsets, challenge deep-rooted norms and build a future where every girl and boy has equal opportunities to thrive," chief of the UNICEF Maharashtra field office, Sanjay Singh said. Along with this, the GTP engages with schools, local leaders, district and state administration, especially the MSCERT, he said. "Seeing the success of the Dharashiv intervention, the MSCERT has built a capacity of 72 DIET trainers towards scaling up the intervention across the state. We are happy to collaborate with the state to scale up the intervention across Maharashtra," Singh said. However, one of the programme implementing partners, Men Against Violence and Abuse , said in the initial stage of implementing the GTP, they faced resistance from both teachers and parents in the community. There was also a lot of hesitance and a sense of shyness among the children, MAVA said. But when the programme progressed, both teachers and parents became supportive while children became less hesitant and started asking questions on gender stereotypes, it said.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Indian Express
‘Welcome step, practical implementation difficult': Pune school principals on CBSE's teaching in mother tongue move
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), in a circular dated May 22, has instructed schools across the country to use the mother tongue or state language as the medium of instruction in the pre-primary to Class 5 stages. While this is in line with the Centre's National Education Policy, 2020, as well as UNICEF and UNESCO's advocacy for education in the mother tongue, there are a few challenges to implementing this ambitious move. The Indian Express spoke to principals of English-medium CBSE schools in Pune to get their views on this change and the obstacles they anticipate while enforcing this mandate. What the CBSE circular says Quoting the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023, the circular states that the first language of literacy (R1) in schools should be the student's mother tongue. However, if this is not possible due to classroom diversity, the state language can be used as R1, it adds, directing schools to begin implementing the change from this year onwards. According to the CBSE's SARAS portal, there are 30,859 schools affiliated with the Board in the country. All of these schools are now required to create an NCF implementation committee by the end of May. This panel will be responsible for 'mapping student mother tongue, aligning language resources, and guiding curriculum adjustments'. What schools say Aditi Mukherjee, the principal of Billabong International School, Pune, enthusiastically supported the move by CBSE. 'I think this is a very welcome step because it has been long enough that we have followed English as a medium of instruction in different international schools, and in fact, schools in general,' she said. After mapping students' mother tongues and understanding teacher competency in these languages, Mukherjee said the school will have to make a training calendar to 'capacity build teachers' in the school. 'And if we see that there is some requirement for, you know, external training or even recruitment, we have to do the same,' she added. One of the challenges, Mukherjee said, would be that not all non-educators would agree with shifting the medium of education from English, the language of the elite, to a local language. 'I would also love to call upon our stakeholders, the children and the parents in particular, and have them as the third point of the pyramid. So, teachers, the leadership team and the board committee, as well as the parents, that would be the design,' she explained. The NCERT already has textbooks in 22 languages, and teachers should be able to train themselves to teach in the required language and even create their own teaching resources, opined Mukherjee. However, Nirmal Waddan, principal of The Kalyani School, Pune, envisioned greater challenges in implementing the move. 'I appreciate the CBSE's move on the language policy, but, unfortunately, there are many practical hindrances. In our school at least, we have children coming from diverse backgrounds. They are IT professionals who keep on shifting base, and they do not belong to a single mother tongue like Marathi or Telugu…So, we cannot cater to different mother tongues at the same time,' Waddan said. Even if the medium of education is to be changed to the state language, like Marathi in Maharashtra, Waddan said it will be quite challenging for teachers. 'A teacher who is from North India, how will she know how to teach a child in Telugu or Kannada? Practically, it is not going to be possible to implement this circular to the T…Completely changing the medium is not possible. It will be bilingual in most of the schools,' she said. Even though most of her teachers know Marathi, teaching in the language is a different game altogether, she explained. 'Core subjects like science and maths would be very, very challenging. Because there are certain words which have a proper meaning. I am born and brought up in Maharashtra, but even for me, it is going to be very difficult to explain in Marathi,' Waddan said. She said that even with training workshops for teachers, the shift in medium will still be quite challenging. 'I appreciate the main objective CBSE has behind this language policy circular and the NEP also…to make the children understand and get familiar with the basics…Learning outcomes will be better, I understand that completely. But practical implementation is very difficult,' she added. Indira National School's principal, Arati Garampalli, expressed similar views. 'My personal opinion would not be completely shifting to a vernacular language. I would still prefer that they go on with English and side-by-side give an explanation in Marathi or any other local language…We have diverse people, I do not have only Maharashtrians here. I have Bengalis, North Indians, South Indians. South Indians don't even pick up Hindi easily. So imagine for Marathi, it would be more difficult,' she said. 'We have to look at our stakeholders, which are our students and also my staff. My staff should also be particularly very perfect in that vernacular language. When you are teaching in a language, you have to be perfect in that, you cannot just go on (casually),' she added. However, Milind Naik, principal of Jnana Prabodhini School and a member of the steering committee for NEP implementation in Maharashtra, offered a different perspective and explained how the move might seem challenging, but is achievable. He said that a majority of CBSE school teachers in Pune speak Marathi in their daily lives and are compelled to speak in English in schools. 'A majority of the teachers already know Marathi. So there might be a few, as less as say 10 per cent, who just do not know Marathi. So it is expected that the teachers must communicate in Marathi. That means schools do not require teachers who have mastery over Marathi but are fluent enough to talk, to communicate basic things with the students. So, all those teachers residing in Pune for the last two to three years must be able to do this. It is not so difficult,' he explained. For other languages like Sindhi or Urdu, where teachers might not be easily available, Naik said, 'They (schools) have to try to get those teachers. Otherwise, the students get affected. Many times, the children try to shift from the CBSE English-medium schools to a vernacular school. So if they do not want the students to drop out, then they must try to have multilingual teachers at their school.' A major point of focus in the NEP is to address and improve the school dropout rate in the country. Naik also explained that practical issues would not be unique to English-medium schools but also affect regional language schools. 'Marathi-medium schools from Maharashtra will also face the same problem. If the school is in the Konkan region or near Goa, then they (teachers) must know Konkani also. Or if it is around Amravati or Nagpur, they must know Ahirani, and all those local languages. So, Marathi-medium schools are also going to face the same problem…All schools have to take care of all these things,' he added.
