Goa to make schools a secure place for transgender students

In a bid to prevent transgender students from facing harassment and stigma, the Goa government has issued guidelines to make its schools "inclusive" for such students and create an environment to make them feel secure.

In a circular issued on December 15 to all government recognised elementary schools, Deputy Director of Education Santosh Amonkar asked all the institutions to set up an anti- discrimination cell to keep a check on any prejudices against the transgender community.

The schools have been directed to give admission to all such students, and teachers are being sensitised about issues concerning transgenders, their life, culture, psycho- social and emotional conditions.

"The spirit of the Indian Constitution is to provide equal opportunity to every citizen to grow and attain their potential, irrespective of caste, religion or gender," Amonkar said in the circular.

"Similarly, transgender children also have the right to education like other children and they should be nurtured from a humanistic point of view," he said.

Each and every person who is engaged in the educational process at any level should contribute in their (transgenders) education inclusively, he added.

It is the duty of administration and school management to ensure adequate environment in schools, because there are greater possibilities that different stigma might start to affect inclusion of transgender children, Amonkar said.

"There is a need to prepare an environment where transgender children feel secure, the circular said.