From the first National Education Policy (NEP) drafted under Kothari Commission in 1968 to the third ambitious NEP passed by Shri Narendra Modi’s union government; after a long and tiring overhaul of 34 years in pandemic stricken 2020 have opened a Pandora’s Box of unique changes, staunch criticisms and hopeful support from Indian citizenry.
But amidst all, its overarching clauses of e-learning, mother tongue-based teaching-learning process, “5+3+3+4” structure and setting up foreign universities in Indian ecosystem are a gigantic irony. Because how is the Indian government is going to endorse inclusive and equitable education with a mere mention of menstrual hygiene management, sexual and reproductive rights and consent education. The goals of creating gender inclusion funds, knowledge superpower, holistic and multidisciplinary education; are nothing but building castles in the air.
The policy envisages increasing the gross enrolment ratio to 50% by 2035 in secondary education, but who is going to take the responsibility of the bleak future of nearly 23 million girls who drop out of the school annually after attaining puberty? The lack of proper WASH infrastructure in the school, menstrual hygiene knowledge- usage of sanitary pads and sexual and reproductive agency forces them to allow their menstruation as the biggest unavoidable biological hurdle in front of their education.
The Adolescent Education Programme, which is a part of CBSE syllabus, is still a “hush-hush” subject. The 8th-grade biology textbook gives misinformed or half-baked knowledge on reproduction, sexually transmitted diseases, and contraceptives due to the teacher’s ignorance and the students’ giggles and shame surrounding the taboo topic. Girls are bullied and physically abused in school for red stains and menstrual cramps due to a huge lack of gender-sensitive education.
Girls also contract vaginal infections in educational institutions to unhealthy conditions fostered by bad sanitary napkin disposal facilities. Amidst the hullaballoo of imparting vocational and computer knowledge to children beyond Class 6, the policy inadvertently neglects, taking into account the broad spectrum of LGBTQIA+ community.
It is highly imperative to spread social approbation regarding menses among transgender people and girls with disabilities, so, that they can menstruate with dignity. Rather than prioritising such education which is the absolute need of the hour in a child’s formative period, kids are taught about “growing up as boys and girls” in class 7th humanities textbooks.
If the stakeholders fail to break the atrocious silence surrounding women’s bodily needs with the help of education, then the other well-intentioned steps like hiring female teachers, providing girls with free bicycles and laptops, placing women in leadership roles are not going to be 100% effective. The futility will stem from the fact that ill-informed children become ignorant youth leaders who make biased legislations and make the world a difficult place for menstruating women (read – still debating over granting paid period leave to women in 2020).
Since India is taking striding steps for localisation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the first and foremost duty is to empower all the government run educational institutions in vulnerable areas to private ones in the suburbs. The lack of NEP 2020’s appropriate coverage on MHM, SRHR, homosexuality, WASH sector is going to tarnish India’s performance in SDG 3 (Good health and wellbeing), SDG 4 (Quality education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). While women around the world are dreaming of dismantling a world where anyone is held back by periods in 2030; I am highly sceptical of India’s stance which is home to around 336 million girls and women in their reproductive age.
The seeds of experiencing sustainable menstruation should be implanted in a pre-adolescent mind in the abode of learning. To increase the penetration of revolutionary menstruation technology of reusable pads, biodegradable menstrual cups and tampons, girls and boys should be made alert of green alternatives. NEP 2020 also fails to shed light on the funding and know-how of installing sanitary napkin vending machines and pad incinerators in educational premises.
The half-hearted mention of MHM in NEP 2020 shows the Indian government’s lackadaisical attitude towards human rights, girl’s and women’s health and wellbeing, socio-economic development and gender equality. Since time immemorial, societal taboos have already been extensively cruel to menstruating people; it was expected out of NEP 2020 to shun the period stigma and poverty, stigma by allowing the force of rightful education to bring waves of change among India’s youngsters and youth.