CHANDIGARH: Soon sex education will be a part of school curriculum in Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the education secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to include sex education in school curriculum. The court also made it clear that they shall be personally liable to implement the sex education in school curriculum.
The matter came before the high court in the wake of a case related to rape of a minor girl. After hearing the matter, the court had extended the scope of the petition by including prevention of sexual and physical abuse amongst the adolescents and related issues.
In pursuance to the orders, the officials of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh had assured the court that the module prepared by them for sex education in schools has been introduced from the academic session 2018-19. After this assurance the court has passed these orders. While passing these orders, the court states, “The module prepared by the states of Punjab, Haryana and UT Chandigarh shall be implemented in letter and spirit for all the academic sessions.
The secretary, education of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh shall be personally liable to implement the module, ” the HC has observed in its order released on Wednesday.
A division bench comprising Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice H S Sidhu has passed these orders while disposing of an application in a related case.
On November 3, 2017, the HC had directed both the states and Chandigarh to prepare “curriculum modules” for different age groups and introduce it as part of school curriculum from the academic session 2018-2019 onwards.
The division bench of the court had also directed the states and Chandigarh to impart special training to the teachers to teach sex education as per the approved curriculum. While talking to official of education department, Chandigarh, admitted of passing such order by the court.
The court also directed both the states and Chandigarh to issue instructions to all the departments and other public institutions to ensure that in official or semi-official communication, the particulars of a rape victim should not be disclosed.