A fresh controversy is brewing in Kerala as the state government gets set to introduce the Adolescent Education Programme in schools. Religious groups and opposition politicians are still not prepared to accept the programme’s handbook despite a revision, alleging it will lead to ‘sexual anarchy’.
The state government led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist appointed the committee following opposition from student organisations and minority religious organisations over the alleged ‘pornographic type’ pictures and offensive language in the original version of the Unicef handbook published last year.
The committee, which included psychologists, gynaecologists and other child educational experts, prepared the book omitting ‘vulgar language’ and retaining the essence of the original book.
The project is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Unicef and the National AIDS Control Organisation.The Church officials are not ready to accept the book citing moral issues.