Gender sensitisation classes, psychological counselling for students as well as active role of parents can play an important role in avoiding situations like the 'bois locker room' controversy, according to schools.
Massive outrage erupted online after it emerged that an Instagram group named 'bois locker room' was being used by some persons to share objectionable pictures of minor girls and discuss illegal acts including rape.
People posted purported screenshots of crude conversations among members of the group believed to be students of some top schools in Delhi and some allegedly as young as 13 years-old. It is alleged that they shared photos of teenage girls and made explicit comments about their looks.
A juvenile was apprehended and quizzed by the police on Tuesday, a day after the Delhi Commission For Women issued notices to the force and Instagram.
"The facts of the current news are very disturbing. An incident like this definitely brings forth the need of our society to sensitize children towards the opposite gender and ensure that they harbour respect for their peers irrespective of racial, cultural or physiological differences.
"School education has a very strong role to play in this as this is one place where ideas and notions can be observed and directed carefully in the right direction," said Priyanka Barara, Principal, Delhi International School, Rohini.
Detailing the measures taken at her school to sensitise students, Barara said, through discussions and counselling sessions teachers highlight any gender stereotypical language used by students in the classroom and use it to invite broader dissertation.
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"Besides teaching these days being student centric gives a lot opportunity to students to express themselves and this itself is a great tool to break gender biases as role-plays, enactments and presentations have become our regular tools to bring forth and encourage ideas," she said.
According to Ryan International School group, gender sensitization should begin as early as possible.
"For pre-primary kids, we do it through a series of games and stories which encourages gender neutral language as well. We try and make kids understand gender sensitization through equal emotions and by giving unbiased opinions and comments.
"We have a set of accredited counsellors who conduct these sessions with children periodically. Separate sessions are scheduled for children on aspects like good touch or bad touch to train students on gender sensitive etiquette," a school spokesperson said.
"The responsibility to be cautious with our judgement and opinion with respect to another person extends to everybody and not just a particular community, and schools are practising various norms to emphasise the same," he added.
A principal of a prominent school in Delhi, who did not wish to be identified, said, "Schools have a crucial role to play but the role of parents cannot be denied. Open smartphone access without monitoring of their cyber activities, discussions at home also play an important role."
With many schools holding online classes for students during the coronavirus-induced lockdown, it has also increased the risk posed to children due to unfettered access to internet.
Another school has also told parents that unethical activities by students will attract action.
"Lawfully correct action will be taken against children if they do anything unethical during classes or otherwise. Kindly inform your ward," it said in a message.
The National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) had in 2018 sent detailed guidelines to schools defining the role of teachers as well as parents in promoting safe, legal, and ethical use of internet by students.
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