No more calling ‘sir’ or ‘madam’ in Kerala schools: Why Child Rights panel is opposing honorifics

In a move to promote gender-neutral terms in educational institutions, the Kerala Child Rights panel has directed the schools in the state to address school teachers as 'teacher' instead of honorifics like 'sir' or 'madam'.

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 13: All school teachers, irrespective of their gender, should be addressed as "teacher" instead of "sir" or "madam," the Kerala child rights panel has directed. 'Teacher' is a more gender-neutral term than honorifics like "sir" or "madam" to address them, the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) said in a recent order.

The directive came after the child rights panel considered a plea filed by a person seeking to end the discrimination while addressing teachers 'sir' and 'madam' as per their gender, reported ANI.

A Bench, comprising panel chairperson KV Manoj Kumar and member C Vijayakumar, on Wednesday directed the General Education Department to give instructions to use the term "teacher" in all schools in the state.

The directive was given while considering a plea filed by a person seeking to end discrimination while addressing teachers "sir" and "madam" according to their gender. The complainant also wanted the teachers to be addressed in a gender-neutral manner.

In its order, the panel said steps should be taken to give a directive in all educational institutions to use the term "teacher" as it is a suitable word to address them with respect and without gender discrimination. The honorifics "sir" or "madam" do not match up with the concept of teacher, it observed.

The term "teacher" would bring teachers and students closer also, the panel further said, and instructed the Director of General Education Department to submit the "action taken" report in this regard within two months.

In 2021, a similar decision was taken by a local village panchayat in Kerala. Scripting history, the Mathur village panchayat banned the colonial honorifics like 'sir' and 'madam' in its office premises with an aim to bridge the barrier between common people, people's representatives and civic body officials and thus build a bond of love and trust between each other. With this, Mathur has become the first civic body in the country to ban the usage of salutations like this, setting a unique reformation model for other civic bodies.

Every official of the panchayat would place a board on their tables displaying their names. They also requested the Official Language Department to provide them alternative words for "Sir" and "Madam". So far, those people, who feel any discomfort in addressing elderly officials by their names, can call them using friendly terms like ''chettan' (elder brother) or 'chechi' (elder sister) in Malayalam, he said.

The Mathur Panchayat authorities also decided to bring out "avakasha pathrika" (rights certificate) in the place of the present 'apeksha form' (application form) to ensure the supremacy of the citizen in a democracy. 'Apeksha" means 'request' in local parlance.