The education system never fails to shock us with its "out of the world" ideas. Keeping up with the pace, Shivira, a state-run magazine that is mostly read by school teachers has released a few 'suggestions' for girls to stay fit and healthy.
The 14-point guideline apparently aims to keep women physically fit. Read the suggestions and decide for yourself if these points are "ïndiscrimintaive in terms of gender", as reportedly claimed by the director of secondary education and editor of the magazine.
Pic courtesy: HT
While it talks about some relevant points like taking a morning walk, laughter therapy, and simple eating, it diverts towards advising (particularly) women, to sweep, mop, cook and fill water to be healthy.
Translation of the controversial Point 3 that has been under scanner- Apart from running, cycling, walking, and swimming can help you to be fit. Women should cook, skip, fetch water, sweep and mop as a part of their exercise routine. Students should also play with younger kids and attend laughter therapies.
If that's not encouraging the age-old idea of confining women to household chores then what is?
This is not the first time the system has tried to sneak in the regressive practices into the minds of the children. Remember when a Sociology book in Maharashtra taught "ugly girls" to give more dowry, or when textbooks from Rajasthan Board equated housewives to donkeys. Is this really what we want to teach the young, impressionable minds who will shape the country's future?
