Gov’t school girls in Tamil Nadu to get self-defence training

The integrated school education department has released Rs 184 crore to train girl students from Classes VI to VIII studying in Tamil Nadu government schools in self-defence techniques. Training in karate, judo and taekwondo should be imparted twice a week, said a circular from the office of the director of the integrated school education department. The self-defence training is part of the Atma Raksha Prashikshan Scheme of the Central government.

A total of 6,744 middle schools and 5,519 high and higher secondary schools in the state will be given Rs 5,000 per month for three months to pay the instructors and also provide snacks for the students.

The circular said girls staying in hostels should be given priority and classes should not have more than 100 students. "The classes should also include how daily-use objects like key chains, dupattas, bags, pens, pencils and notebooks can be used for self-defence. Women trainers should be given priority," added the circular, stated a report by The New Indian Express.

The members of the school management committees should inspect the classes once a month while other officials from the department, including assistant project officers and block resource teacher educators, will also conduct routine inspections.

However, teachers and headmasters said they are not happy with the timing of the fund allocation. They claim it is too late and it will be difficult to complete the classes in March. "The circular states three months of classes should be completed by March. While January is already over, we are thinking of increasing the number of classes per week so there is a chance of completing it within March. The amount, Rs 5,000 per school, will not be enough to pay the instructors and also provide snacks to the students. Separate funds should be provided for the snacks," said a headmaster on condition of anonymity, as reported by The New Indian Express.