Two literacy centres set up in Rawalpindi

Transgenders will be taught to read, write, do simple calculations and beautician courses

RAWALPINDI: To bring the ostracised transgender people at par with the rest of the society, the provincial government has set up two literacy centres in Rawalpindi and they have started operations.

Established by the Punjab Literacy Department, these literacy centres have been set up in Chandi Chowk and in Allama Iqbal Colony. As many as 30 people who are transgenders have registered at each of these centres.

These centres will teach people who are transgender to read and write apart from doing simple mathematical calculations.

Moreover, some vocational courses will also be offered at the centres which will help people who are transgender to either find employment or support themselves through self-employment and entrepreneurship. Some of the vocational courses to be taught include courses for beauticians.



The centre has finalised teachers for the courses and classes at the centre are expected to start over the next 10 days.

Literacy Department’s Rawalpindi District Executive Director Aijaz Hussain Shah told Daily Express that after receiving training at the centres, people who are transgenders will be better equipped to contribute to the society.

The main attraction, Shah said, was that these courses were being offered free of cost, including the requisite stationery and tools for the beautician’s course.

Apart from the two centres in Rawalpindi, the Punjab Literacy Department will be setting up around 100 centres for people who are transgenders in all the 36 districts of the province with each centre accommodating 25 to 30 people who are transgender.

Bubli and Shagufta, two people who are transgenders who have taken admission at the courses being offered at the Chandni Chowk literacy centre told Daily Express that they had happily taken admission in the courses.

“If we get trained to become self-employed, it means that we will not have to stand at traffic signals and beg for money, nor will we have to go and dance at parties,” they said, adding that if they are provided loans on easy instalments after they complete the course it would help them set up their own businesses. 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 4^th, 2018.