School for transgender kids planned

Punjab government has decided to open the first school for the transgender community in Lahore.

School education department officials said they had begun the process of appointing the teachers and other staff of the school.

The institution located in Barkat Market will admit only transgender students up to high school classes.

The school is set to be inaugurated at the end of the ongoing month, while admissions will begin from the coming academic year.

However, transgender activists have stressed the need for consultation with the community about the plan.

The school in Barkat Market area of Garden Town will be the second educational institution for the transgender community in Punjab.

The Punjab government opened a similar school in Multan a few months ago.

"Following instructions of Punjab government, the Lahore District Education Authority is working to open the first ever transgender school in the provincial capital," a senior official of Punjab School Education Department told The Express Tribune.

Under the government plan, the second school would also be set up after the success of the initiative.

The official said there was no plan to recruit teachers for the new school. Women teachers from other schools will be transfered to the new institution.

Education, school uniform and books will be provided free of charge to transgender students. They will also get free pick and drop facility.

"Transgender students who have passed 5th and 8th classes will be taught in the school till matriculation in the first phase," the school education department official said.

On the other hand, Naghma, a transgender activist, alleged that a group within the education authority was trying to set up the school without adequate preparation in order to claim credit for the initiative.

The activist claimed that the authority did not have the profile and data of the population of the transgender community as well as its problems.

"A mafia inside our community is also pursuing its interests, so the government should negotiate with all elders of our community before launching the school," Naghma added.

"We have also heard that the government is transfering female teachers to the school, which is unfair as it should only have transgender staff. We have educated persons in our community who are unemployed," said transgender activist and actor Janat Ali.

"If the government is sincere then it should recruit transgender staff for the school. They will better understand the problems and concerns of the community. The government should consult the community about the project," the activist added.

“The Punjab education department is preparing a feasibility plan in connection with transgender school in Lahore and all the stakeholders onboard on this imitative,” Punjab Minister for School Education Department Spokesman Umer Khayam said.

“Work on this project is underway and it will be inaugurated in coming few weeks.”.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2022.