Call to undertake gender audit of textbooks

This suggestion was made by the BJP MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe at a workshop organised by HRD minister Prakash Javadekar.

Chennai, 09/08/2011: The Supreme Court delivered its verdict on Tuesday, quashing the amendment to the Samacheer Kalvi Act, brought out by the state government in May postponing the implementation of the common syllabus in the state, these standard VI students are reading the existing books in school in Perambur on Tuesday. Photo: V. Ganesan.

There should be a gender audit of textbooks to ensure that progressive social values are imparted to students.

This suggestion was made by the BJP MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe at a workshop organised by the Minister of Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar here on Thursday to seek the legislators’ views on the national education policy that is under formulation.

“There are varying social problems like a low sex ratio, harassment of women, etc. Mr. Sahasrabuddhe suggested a gender audit of textbooks to correct this,” a participant told The Hindu on condition of anonymity. “It was also said that there should be focus on social justice, sensitivity towards the disabled, etc.”

Attended by more than 40 MPs, the workshop saw some other key suggestions such as the need to set up a vocational university to certify the skills of workers and enable their career mobility; a training framework for non-teaching staff in educational institutions; and a university for democratic governance to research the interface of politics, its compulsions and administrative needs.

Among those who attended the workshop were Congress’ Shashi Tharoor, DMK’s Tiruchi Siva, and Satyanarayan Jatiya, the All India Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’Brien and others.

Since many MPs could not attend the meeting, the Ministry would organise another workshop during the winter session of Parliament to seek more suggestions.

Mr. Javadekar described the discussion as fruitful and said MPs gave their suggestions in writing too.