The caretaker government of Punjab closed the school for transgenders

Lahore: The caretaker government of Punjab has closed the only school built for transgenders in Lahore. Government Girls High School Barkat Market This school has been closed down due to non-availability of funds, which may be the cause of dismay of the Khawaja Sarafra.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government had started the first school for transgenders in Lahore in December last year with the aim of imparting various skills to the transgender community along with traditional education. The school had classes from 10 am to 12 pm.

Two well-known eunuchs of Lahore, Guru Ashi Butt and Neeli Rana, were hired to attract eunuchs to education and learning skills. The school education authorities had signed an agreement with the two eunuch coordinators to give them a monthly stipend, but after three months the agreement has not been extended due to which the eunuch coordinators have also stopped working.

Coordinator Neely Rana told The Express Tribune that our task was to reach out to Khawaja Sarabradi and attract them to education and learning skills. We used to leave home at seven in the morning, meet eunuchs and tell them to get education and skills instead of begging and dancing so that they can live like a respectable citizen.

Nelli Rana added that the school education department had initially signed a three-month contract with Pran. She used to take transgender women from their homes to school. Similarly, the services of another focal person, Ashi Jan, were hired. Ashi Jan got only two months’ stipend and I got three months’ stipend, after which the stipend was stopped and the contract with him was not extended.

Neeli Rana says that the dreams she had put in the eyes of transgender women and the hope in their hearts have all been shattered and her reputation within her own community has been affected.

In this one-of-a-kind school, apart from traditional education, transgenders were taught skills such as cooking, make-up and tailoring so that the community could gain good employment. Transgender teachers are not only trained but also psychologically trained to better understand the community.

According to Sarah Rahman, former assistant of the program and school education spokesperson, the school was started because transgenders are the part of our society that is put against the wall, they are not provided opportunities for education or employment. We are ready to make all kinds of comments about them, but we are not ready to do anything for their improvement.

In Punjab, schools for transgenders were first opened in Multan, followed by DG Khan and then Bahawalpur.

Sara Rehman said that 150 million rupees were allocated for this project with the support of the World Bank, but unfortunately the caretaker government has not only reduced the funds of this project but also closed the school established for transgenders in Lahore. is given

There were around 40 transgender students in the school established in Lahore, monthly stipend was also being given to the transgenders in addition to pick and drop, but now the classes in the school have been closed for more than a month.

Coordinator of the program Neely Rana further said that transgenders are still willing to come to get education and learn skills but the promises made by the government are not being fulfilled.

On the other hand, the officials of the Education Authority say that the transgenders admitted to the school had completed a three-month short course, now as soon as funds are available and new transgender students are registered, new classes will be started.