An integral part of growing up for children is to know the difference between a good touch and a bad touch. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has been preparing a blueprint for creating awareness about this in schools it runs, sources said.

According to sources in the corporation, its education department has consulted experts about how the topic can be introduced and in which class so that students would understand it easily.

The civic body feels that the matter has assumed prime significance against the backdrop of instances of children being subjected to sexual abuse in schools and even in their homes.

A senior officer of the corporation’s education department said that talks had been held with NGOs, educationists and psychologists on the matter over the past few months.

Since a large number of students come from lower-middle-class backgrounds, it becomes important that the parents are informed about the introduction of the topic in schools, officials said.

The corporation runs 263 schools with around 15,000 students. Many private schools already offer lessons on good touch and bad touch and a three-page section in the Class 7 Health and Physical Education textbook in state schools covers the topic.

Some workshops have been held with teachers and the officials in the corporation’s information technology department have weighed introducing digital lessons for better understanding but want to avoid a hurried decision, keeping in mind possible repercussions.