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Imagine living in a world where you do not know what sex is. Now, imagine going to school and not being able to educate yourself about LGBTQIA+. A school should be a place where every student feels at home – a home that gives the right to express about every trivial thing, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation.
In 2022, the Curriculum Development Centre (CDC)of Nepal included contents about sexual orientation, gender identity and definition about the terms LGBTI in its Grade 7 textbook. However, the textbooks still lack in-depth content relating to sexual orientation and gender identity.
Nepal has given rights about LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) rights in the constitution. But these rights must be translated into concrete policies, programmes and practices within the education system to promote equal treatment and non-discrimination.
The impact of textbooks on a child's development is immense. Gender, being a socially constructed phenomenon, assigns roles and responsibilities that children begin to internalise at an early age. During their primary school years, children are especially receptive to learning about their social environment, making it vital to introduce concepts of gender diversity and LGBTQIA+ identities in their education. A major gap in the curriculum and textbooks is the lack of in-depth content on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Schools play a pivotal role in this transformation by providing students with accurate and comprehensive knowledge about sexual orientation and gender identity. One of the Health teachers interviewed in a school at Kirtipur, said, "If the curriculum itself has not covered the depth of LGBTQIA+, how are teachers and students supposed to go beyond the syllabus?"
Nepal is the second country in Asia, after Mongolia, to include Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and the contents of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) in the school curriculum. Due to the hesitation of many teachers and students, most of the topics in the curriculum are not taught in class, therefore, young people lack the necessary information and skill on SRHR (Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights) when they actually need them. Also, the contents are not comprehensive and show notable gaps at the primary school level.
To create a school as a home to every student, a real inclusive education system is required. There is a need for revision of the curriculum and textbooks incorporating the sexual and gender minority perspective that creates an enabling learning environment promoting non-discrimination and de-stigmatisation of sexual and gender minorities.
