This story is from August 20, 2019

Teach Chandigarh girls to use dupatta, pen as weapons: MHRD

The ministry of human resource development (MHRD) wants the government schools of Chandigarh to teach their girl students how to use their key chain, dupatta, stole, muffler, bag, pen/pencil and notebook as self-defence weapons, and sanctioned Rs 5.67 lakh for the purpose.
Teach Chandigarh girls to use dupatta, pen as weapons: MHRD
Image used for representational purpose
CHANDIGARH: The ministry of human resource development (MHRD) wants the government schools of Chandigarh to teach their girl students how to use their key chain, dupatta, stole, muffler, bag, pen/pencil and notebook as self-defence weapons, and sanctioned Rs 5.67 lakh for the purpose.
The MHRD has also sanctioned Rs 29.79 lakh for Adolescence Education Programme (AEP) and Career Guidance Programme for Girls. This entire budget has been sanctioned under the head of Gender Equity in Project Approval Board’s meeting.
The ministry stated, “Gender-based violence is a serious problem threatening the growth, development, education and health of adolescent girls in the country.
Self-defence training techniques instill self-confidence amongst girls and help promote girls' education, particularly their transition to secondary and higher secondary level and reduce the dropout rate in schools.”
Through self-defence techniques, the girls are taught to increase their core strength, the MHRD stated, adding, “In dire situations, one is not required to have martial art training or a particular dress to defend and save oneself, instead a strategic nudge, a kick or a punch are enough to deter the attacker. The girls are trained to use everyday articles such as, key chain, dupatta, stole, muffler, bag, pen/pencil, notebook etc. as weapons of opportunity/ improvised self-defense weapons to their advantage.”
It further said that the states and UTs may also look for convergence for availing funding for self-defence training under the Nirbhaya Fund under the ministry of women and child development, government of India, police departments, home guards, NCC or other state government schemes.
Since self-defence training is provided to a limited number of schools, the UT has been requested to provide details within two months of those schools where these activities will be carried out.

For elementary-level self-defence training for up to Class VIII, Rs 4.59 lakh (Rs 3,000 per school per month for three months) has been allotted for 51 schools and at secondary level, Rs 4.86 (Rs 3,000 per school per month for three months) has been allotted for 54 schools. Talking about the objective, an education department official said, “This would strengthen girls’ enrolment and retention in school.”
Under the AEP for girls, Rs 8.40 lakh was estimated for organizing career counseling sessions, career fair etc.
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