Schools can't force girls on hairstyle: P S Alsha

Kozhikode: P.S Alsha, the plus-two student of Govt HSS, Cheemeni, Kasargod is not very aware about the fight for gender justice going around. But she felt the injustice when she could not go to school because she did not want to plait her wet hair because it would smell. There were no regulations for the boys, however. Alsha also found that a majority of the girls were fuming against the discrimination.

She took up the fight and now, the Directorate of Higher Secondary Education (DHSE) has published the circular preventing schools from compelling girls to part their hair and plait it. “I felt it was gross injustice. Besides the gender bias factor, it has been terrible to appear in class every morning without taking a bath. The parted and plaited hair with moisture would lead to the destruction of hair and dandruff,” she told DC. When Alsha’s mother Priya raised the issue in the PTA meet, the majority of parents resisted. This prompted Alsha to approach the State Commission for protection of child rights (KeSCPCR).

When the district child protection unit asked for an explanation, the school authorities responded that it was upto the PTA.At this juncture, as many as 79 girls of the school wrote to the KeSCPCR against the mandatory code. In the second week of August, the Commission directed the DHSE and DPI to amend the rule in favour of the students. “But the fight is far from over. Despite the order, many schools in the vicinity continue with the old practice of gender discrimination,” says Alsha’s father Sanal Sha.

Alsha is happy that the Principal read the new rule in the Assembly of her school. “Now, we are a relieved lot and are going to school without parting the hair. But other schools are yet to implement the rule,” laments Alsha. KeSCPCR member Adv. Naseer Chaliyam said that a violation of the order would invite legal action.