School In Kerala Took Initiative To Address Their Teachers As 'Teacher' Not By Sir Or Madam

According to the school's head, Venugopalan H, the school, which has 300 students and nine female and eight male teachers, has become the first in the state to use gender neutral language when addressing a teacher. The concept was first proposed by a male staff member. Teachers should be addressed according to their job title rather than their gender. He claimed the male teacher was motivated by a campaign by social activist Boban Mattumantha, who has been lobbying for gender-neutral designations for government officials and for the tradition of addressing them sir and madam to be phased out.

Such arises after numerous Kerala schools endorsed gender-neutral uniforms. More than a dozen schools in Kerala have switched to gender-neutral uniforms as part of the unisex uniform campaign, with the government's ruling Communist party promising to assist and implement the movement across the state. However, several women's rights organisations have also endorsed the unisex uniform plan, claiming that it will help close the gender gap.

People were also told not to use phrases like 'request' or 'appeal.' Panchayat president Pravitha Muraleedharan had commented on the move, saying that it was past time to abandon the use of the colonial terms sir and madam.

Meanwhile, in July of last year, the Mathoor panchayat in the village of Mathoor, which is 14 kilometres from the school, decided to stop using the terms 'Sir' and 'Madam.' The panchayat's governing council had instructed the public to address panchayat officials by their official titles.

Furthermore, various Kerala schools have recently adopted gender-neutral clothing for kids. One of the first to adopt the unisex uniform was the Balussery government ladies' higher secondary school in Kozhikode district. Although students praised the gender-neutral uniform, certain Muslim organisations opposed it, claiming that the government was imposing liberal principles on children.