The school education department has launched an initiative to train girl students in self-defence techniques.
A list of 233 upper primary, secondary and higher secondary schools in Calcutta has been prepared for the initial phase of the project. The department plans to start the programme within a month or so.
The training is part of a scheme by the department called Ananda Parishar, which seeks to arm students with skills that are beyond the books.
The self-defence lessons will be imparted to students by Calcutta police, said an official.
Calcutta police run Tejashwini, a 10-day programme to train girls and women in self-defence. School and college students, working professionals and homemakers enrol for the course.
Officials in the education department said the training sessions in schools will preferably be held for students from Classes VIII to XII on Saturday.
“We have drawn up a programme entirely for school students. There is a need to arm students with self-defence techniques so they can protect themselves against any danger. Calcutta police have been selected for the project since they impart training in unarmed combat,” said an official, who is part of the Samagra Shiksha Mission, a wing of the state education department.
“The programme will include simple yet powerful moves. The participants will be trained in ways to protect themselves when attacked,” said another official of the department.
A handbook prepared by the department says girl students will be trained in various forms of punch — face punch, back fist punch, reverse punch, hook punch and round punch.
They will also be trained in blocks (face block, chest block and lower abdomen block) and kicks (front kick, roundhouse kick, lower kick and knee kick).
“The students will also be taught how to meditate and increase mental toughness,” said an official.
The police have been advocating a proactive approach for many years now to make the city safer for women.
“If a woman encounters indecent advances on the road or bus, it is crucial that she knows the basics of self-defence so she can protect herself. If no one comes to heraid, she should be able to resist, retaliate and protect herself,” said a Calcutta police officer.
“We will soon send our experts to schools to train the girls in the required self-defence skills,” the officer said.
The police will also organise a district-level orientation programme for the heads of institutions and nodal teachers (preferably physical education teachers) from the selected schools.