"Girls and boys are equal": How Chennai schools are strengthening gender clubs with a new teacher orientation programme

In classrooms across Chennai, students are quietly challenging assumptions about who can do what, and why. From boys sharing chores at home to girls taking the lead in traditionally male-dominated games, the city’s schoolchildren are rewriting the rules of everyday life.

The driving force behind this shift? Gender clubs in schools, now getting a fresh push through a new teacher orientation programme designed to make equality a lived experience, not just a lesson.

Teacher orientation: Setting the stage for change
Starting August 28, 2025 teachers and headmasters across Chennai will take part in a four-day orientation programme scheduled on August 28, 29, and September 3 and 4. Mayor R. Priya will inaugurate the initiative, which aims to revamp and expand gender sensitisation activities across city schools. For students, this means classrooms where discussions on equality are not optional, they are part of everyday learning.

From experiment to expansion
The gender clubs were first launched three years ago by the Gender and Policy Lab in collaboration with the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), targeting Class 9 and 10 students to spark awareness on equality and inclusivity. Positive feedback has led to the programme now extending to Class 8, with plans to gradually reach even lower grades. Currently, 130 middle schools and 81 high and higher secondary schools host active clubs.

Making equality tangible
Each club is overseen by one or two trained teachers, meeting weekly every Friday. The curriculum is far from abstract: Students discuss breaking stereotypes, menstrual hygiene, child protection under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, cybersecurity, and the difference between good and bad touch.

Interactive lectures, group discussions, worksheets, and annual exhibitions allow students to translate lessons into tangible action. Unique games such as "Pudumarai Sammumurai" and "Samathuva Ilakku" further break barriers, portraying boys cooking or girls playing kabaddi, challenging students to rethink gender roles in playful, memorable ways.

Real impact in the classroom and at home
The changes are already visible. A teacher from Purasawalkam recalled a girl who, after participating in the club, convinced her parents to let her attend tuition classes just like her brother. In another instance, boys who once mocked peers for doing chores now share responsibilities without prompting.

Teachers also encourage students to critically analyse advertisements and media messages, sparking debates about outdated gender norms. “The idea is to institutionalise conversations on gender equality in classrooms. When children hear their teachers say, ‘girls and boys are equal,’ they are likely to take that discussion back home and influence families,” said M. Birathiviraj, Deputy Commissioner (revenue and finance, education).

Monitoring and evolution
The Education Department monitors the clubs monthly, while Gender Lab consultants conduct annual reviews. Officials confirm that the curriculum is constantly updated to remain relevant, reflecting shifts in society and the challenges students face in 2025.

“These sessions are not part of examinations, so students attend without fear or pressure. Their enthusiasm shows that change is possible when education addresses social attitudes,” added an education officer from Royapuram.

For Chennai students, gender clubs are more than extra-curricular activities, they are arenas for experimentation, debate, and empowerment. In a city where classrooms are beginning to reflect the equality students see in their ambitions, learning is no longer confined to textbooks. It is lived, tested, and carried home, one conversation, one game, one Friday session at a time.

(with PTI inputs)

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