CBSE schools in Kerala to kick-start campaign against dowry

Students of 250 schools in State to take oath against the social evil

CBSE schools across the State are set to kick-start a week-long campaign against dowry coinciding with Dowry Prohibition Day to be observed on Friday.

The campaign is to be held under the aegis of the Council of CBSE Schools Kerala (CCSK), an affiliate of the apex body of the National Council of CBSE Schools.

CCSK has issued a circular to managers and principals of 250-odd schools under its jurisdiction to organise an oath-taking ceremony against dowry by students during the assembly on Friday. The oath is against demanding and receiving dowry while committing students to do the fight against it. Schools have also been asked to record videos of the oath-taking and send them to CCSK for making a collage of videos delivering the message against the social evil.

“We will not stop with taking the oath but are set to organise a week-long campaign against dowry using children in compliance with the COVID-19 protocol. Groups of 10 students will be formed as ambassadors of change, and each student will take the awareness message against dowry to four households in her neighbourhood. Detailed reports will be collected from each group, the summary of which will be given to the State and Central educational ministers and the curriculum committee,” said Indira Rajan, secretary general of the National Council of CBSE Schools.

The idea is to make children change-makers to educate elders and thus put an end to dowry in the long run. Students will be given detailed guidelines about the messaging to be done during their household interactions.

Meanwhile, for Ms. Rajan, the observation of Dowry Prohibition Day is even more fulfilling as it is the fallout of her Public Interest Litigation (PIL) urging proactive steps on the part of the Government against dowry. She filed the PIL in June in the wake of Uthra murder and the death of Vismaya.

“Skimming the surface will not help address the issue. It should be made part of the curriculum so that the upcoming generation becomes aware of the social evil of dowry and fight it,” Ms. Rajan said.