In a bid to protect children from sexual harassment and raise awareness among young minds, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is set to introduce 'Good Touch, Bad Touch' lessons in its public primary schools.
This initiative is part of the civic body’s broader plan to ensure that children — especially those from marginalised backgrounds — understand the concept of safe and unsafe physical contact.
With rising incidents of sexual abuse involving minors reported across the country and in West Bengal, the education department of KMC has begun formulating a structured curriculum aimed at sensitising students about inappropriate touch and how to identify and respond to it.
Speaking on the initiative, Sandipan Saha, mayor-in-council for education at KMC, said, “We are actively working on this important issue. Many of our students come from vulnerable backgrounds, and we believe teaching them the difference between good touch and bad touch from an early age will benefit them significantly. Our objective is clear — we want to empower children with awareness. We are currently preparing a detailed curriculum and determining from which class this topic should be introduced.”
Sources in KMC revealed that over the past few months, the education department has been in consultation with voluntary organisations, educationists and psychologists to design the framework for this sensitive but crucial topic. “The department is also focusing on involving parents in the awareness process, ensuring that the message is reinforced at home,” said a KMC official.
The official said the upcoming lessons will help children understand what kind of physical contact by adults is acceptable and what constitutes sexual harassment or molestation. “The aim is to explain these concepts in a child-friendly manner so that even young students can recognise inappropriate behavior and seek help when needed,” he added.
While such lessons are already a part of the curriculum in many private and some government schools, this will be the first time KMC-run primary schools will formally adopt the subject.
Recognising the challenges of implementing this curriculum among children from disadvantaged backgrounds, the municipal authorities have finalised a special teaching method tailored to their needs. Multiple workshops have already been conducted with teachers to prepare them for delivering this content effectively. The IT department of the KMC is also collaborating to explore digital methods of instruction that could make the lessons more accessible and impactful.
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