Girls in Burdwan schools to learn self-defence skills

Burdwan (WB), April 21

The Burdwan district administration has decided to introduce self-defence training for girl students in schools.

It has been found that school-going girls are often the targets of offenders, who take advantage of the long trek the girls have to undertake to attend schools in rural areas, sometimes alone through the fields, a top district official said.

The harassment has led many of them to drop out of schools under parental pressure.

"The self-defence training, introduced under the 'Sarva Siksha Mission', will somewhat take care of the problem faced by the girls," Burdwan District Magistrate Saumitra Mohan said.

The self-defence training programme aims to make the Physical Education teacher of each school aware of the skills for future practice as part of school curriculum.

Under the programme, certain life skills will be taught to the girls, which include certain dos and don'ts in day-to-day life.

They would also be taught how to properly channelise their adolescent emotions, how to form groups and how to extend co-operation among themselves through personal rapport, the DM said.

The self-defence skills will equip them with the ability to sense impending danger.

At least 15 self-defence skills comprising Karate-Judo and kick boxing, flexible body movement and some other physical skills would be taught.

The administration has developed a self-defence module with the help of members of Kick boxing, Karate and Judo Association of Burdwan district, he said.

"In consultation with the technical persons (Black belt holders) we selected 25 master trainers who will teach/train 10 students per head at every school throughout the district," Mohan said. PTI