Last Update: January 13, 2023, 6:31 pm IST
Thiruvananthapuram, India
The complainant wanted the teachers to be addressed in a gender-neutral manner (Representational image)
The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) said in a recent order that ‘teacher’ is a more gender-neutral term to address them than norms like ‘sir’ or ‘madam’.
The Kerala Child Rights Panel has directed that all school teachers, regardless of their gender, should be addressed as ‘Teacher’ instead of ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’.
The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) said in a recent order that ‘teacher’ is a more gender-neutral term to address them than norms like ‘sir’ or ‘madam’.
A bench of panel chairman KV Manoj Kumar and member C Vijayakumar on Wednesday directed the General Education The department should give instructions to use the word ‘teacher’ in all schools of the state.
The direction was given while considering a petition filed by a person seeking an end to discrimination by addressing teachers as ‘sir’ and ‘madam’ according to their gender.
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The complainant also wanted the teachers to be addressed in a gender-neutral manner.
In its order, the panel said that steps should be taken to issue a direction to use the term ‘teacher’ in all educational institutions as the appropriate term to address them with respect and without gender discrimination.
Norms “Sir” or ‘Madam’ do not match with the concept of teacher, it was observed.
The panel further said, the word ‘teacher’ will also bring teachers and students closer, and directed the Director General Education Department to submit an action taken report in this regard within two months.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)