Context: Society/Government need to revamp infrastructure, processes, curriculum & teacher education to provide an inclusive and equitable education for all.
Issues faced by transgender community
Queerphobia: That is a sense of fear and hatred towards anything outside indentities of gender binary.
Mis-information: Even medical textbooks describes non-binary gender identities as “offensive perversions” and “mental disorders”.
This results in practice of negative reinforcement tactics like identifying it with displeasure or even resorting to punishment to “correct” it.
Educational marginalisation:According to the 2011 Census, literacy rate of transgender is just 46 % compared to 74% of general population. In 2020, there were only 19 transgender candidates among the 18 lakh students appearing for class 10 board exams.
Victim of social insensitivity: Transgender childrens school experiences are marked by bullying, labeling, rejection, and humiliation, leading to mental health crisis and low academic output.
UNESCO survey(2018) revealed that
Phyical harassment: 60% transgender children experienced physical harassment in high school.
Sexual harassment: 43% even stated being sexually harassed in elementary school.
Hiding out: Only 18 %reported incidents of abuse and harassment to school authorities.
Mental health and developmental issues: Constantly faces reduced interactions with peers(73%), depression and anxiety(70%), decreased academic concentration(63%) and school absenteeism(53%).
Way Forward
Provide acess to LGBTQ+ children in school through
Creation of Gender Inclusion Fund as mentioned in NEP 2020.
Nurturing inclusive classrooms through conditional cash transfers, distribution of bicycles, provision for sanitation and toilets.
Awareness and Acceptability of LGBTQ+ community through right education and conduct.
Reforming curriculum and teacher education:
Focus on inclusive languages like using “partner” instead of “husband/wife” or “them” instead of “him/her” and integrating themes like identity, diversity, and social justice in curriculum.
Using Safe space signage in schools, comprehensive sex education with age appropriate-learning to and through the parent-teacher associations and school management committees etc.