K’taka advances adolescence education to middle school; Boys still left out of awareness programs
Bengaluru: In a move aimed at addressing early puberty, the Karnataka Education Department has decided to introduce adolescence education in schools starting from Class 6, instead of the earlier practice of beginning in Class 8. This change comes as the average age of menarche has been advancing, with girls now reaching puberty as early as nine or ten years old.
“This year, we are introducing a moral science module in the curriculum and adolescence education is a part of it. We will start teaching it to the students from class 6 onwards in an age-appropriate manner as the age of puberty is earlier than before now,” The Hindu quoted K.V. Trilok Chandra, Commissioner of Public Instruction, as saying.
Recent studies and medical experts have noted a significant shift in the age of menarche in India, which was traditionally between 11 and 13 years. Now, it is not uncommon for girls to experience menarche as early as nine or ten, with multiple factors such as diet and lifestyle contributing to this change.
Teachers at several government and private schools in Karnataka have reportedly begun providing education on menstruation, menstrual hygiene, and bodily changes related to puberty as early as Class 5 or 6.
“At home, parents do not teach girls about menstruation or menstrual hygiene freely. In our school, the women faculty ensure that we talk to them about these things, especially hygiene, from class 6. We also get PG medical students from government medical colleges to teach about menstruation with a visual presentation,” The Hindu quoted a headmistress of a Karnataka Public School in South Bengaluru as saying.
Despite these efforts, there remains a noticeable gap in sensitisation programs for boys in many schools. According to students, joint sex education sessions for boys and girls are still not the norm. “I feel uncomfortable talking about it. In my school, I know the girls were taught sex education, but we were not in the class, so I don’t know exactly what they learned,” the news outlet quoted a male student from a private school in Banashankari as saying.
Even in government schools, there are no joint sex education programmes for boys and girls. “We conduct awareness programmes for girl students between the ages of 10 and 15. But there are no such awareness or sensitisation programmes for boys,” said the headmaster of a government school near Kanakapura Road.
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Four more arrested in brigadier assault case in Delhi
New Delhi (PTI): Four more accused have been arrested in connection with the alleged assault on an Army brigadier, his son and threatening his wife in southwest Delhi's Vasant Enclave area, police said on Friday.
The accused have been identified as Surjit Singh (36), Sunil Sharma (53) and Ashish (32), all from Mehram Nagar in Delhi, and Satender (35) of Bhiwani in Haryana, police said.
According to police, Surjit Singh was known to the main accused Satender, a director of an aviation company. All of them were sitting together in Mehram Nagar when Satender called them regarding a quarrel in Vasant Enclave.
"Following the call, all four left for the spot in Surjit's white Hyundai Aura. After reaching there, they got involved in the altercation and assault before returning to their respective homes," a senior police officer said.
After learning about the registration of the case, the accused fled and went into hiding, he said.
"Teams were constituted to trace them and all four absconding accused were arrested," he said.
The Hyundai Aura used in the incident has also been recovered, police said.
Further investigation into the case is underway. The role of each accused is being examined, they said.
According to the investigators, the incident took place on the night of April 11, when the brigadier and his son objected to the two men allegedly consuming alcohol inside a car parked outside their residence. Soon, others reached the spot and allegedly assaulted the officer and his son, besides abusing and threatening his wife.
