In a first, the J&K government would provide self-defense training to girl students in J&K schools.
The training would be given to the students under centrally sponsored scheme-Samagra Shiksha.
The Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) has already approved the funds for the ‘Rani Laxmibai Atma Raksha Prashikshan’ (RLARP) program, specifically for the Self Defence Training component.
Under the centrally sponsored scheme Samagra Shiksha, self-defense training will be provided to girl students in 9,768 schools, including 7,321 upper primary schools and 2,447 secondary and senior secondary schools in Jammu and Kashmir. The Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) has already sanctioned the funds for the program under the “Rani Laxmibai Atma Raksha Prashikshan” (RLARP) Self Defense Training component.
To implement this initiative, the DSEL has allocated a budget of approximately Rs 1098.15 lakh for elementary and secondary level classes. The estimated cost for upper primary schools is Rs 15,000 per school per month for a duration of three months.
Also, an amount of Rs 3.67 crore (Rs 15,000 per school per month) has been approved to conduct the self-defense training in secondary and senior secondary schools across J&K.
In wake of this, the Project Directorate of J&K Samagra Shiksha has roped in a Mumbai based firm- Eduspark International to start the defence-training programme in the schools.
The firm has been qualified in the technical and financial criteria of the bid document issued on the GEM and selected as LI in the process.
On the basis of the undertaking submitted by the firm, it has been directed to start the process of imparting self-defense training in the schools approved under the self-defense training for girls in the Project Approval Board (PAB) meeting of 2022-23.
“The firm shall not claim for a 90 days period for completion of 90 days training as per bid document. The firm shall conduct self-defense training only in those schools where it is feasible, in view of examination sessions and weather conditions,” the official document reads.
The firm has been asked to claim for only those schools as per number of hours and sessions, where they would conduct self-defense training.
“The firm shall charge, as per hour rate, as it was bid for 100 hours in the bid document. The payment shall be made to the firm Eduspark Pvt Ltd only for those schools, which shall be covered by or before March 25, 2023,” the document reads.
Notably, the DSEL in the Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India, has approved self-defense training noting that gender-based violence threatens the growth, development, education, and health of adolescent girls in the schools.
“Self-defense training instills self-confidence amongst girls and helps to promote their education particularly their transition to secondary and higher secondary level and to reduce the dropout rate in schools,” an official document reads.
“Through self-defense techniques, the girls are taught to increase their core strength. In dire situations, one is not required to have a particular dress to defend and save oneself; instead a strategic nudge, a sharp flick, a kick or a punch are enough to deter the attacker,” it reads.
As part of the programme, the self-defense training programme was inaugurated on March 3 of 2023 in Government Girls Higher Secondary School Baramulla.
The initiative has been taken to empower and motivate the girl students to equip themselves with various skills of self-defense.
The programme was inaugurated in presence of the Chief Education Officer (CEO) Baramulla, Chaman Lal Sharma.
During the inaugural ceremony, the speakers stressed on giving self-defense training to girl students in view of the rising number of crimes against girls.
“Self-defense training techniques instills self-confidence amongst girls and help promote girl education, particularly their transition to secondary and higher secondary level and to reduce the dropout rate in schools,” the speakers said.
