DERA GHAZI KHAN: The first school for transgender persons from primary to higher secondary education has been established in the city with the collaboration of Japan.

The evening school has been launched at the Girls High School No 1, Dera Ghazi Khan, with the collaboration of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Punjab School Education Department.

District Education Authority Chief Executive Officer Masood Ahmed told Dawn the government had decided to bring the transpersons community into the mainstream by educating its members. In this regard, a transgender persons school had been established with enrolment of 12 transgender students, he said and added that a four-member trained teaching staff had also been employed for the school where primary, elementary, high and higher secondary classes would be held.

Students to be enrolled in primary to higher secondary classes

If the students go for primary level learning, they would be provided with abridged course with Package A, Package B and Package C in the form of integrated learning, developed by JICA, duly approved by the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB) so that a learner may be able to start attending elementary classes within shortest possible time.

Teachers would be provided with training for this Accelerated Learning Programme by technical assistance of JICA. In case, if any higher secondary student from transgender community arrives, she may be offered a chance of teaching if she is capable enough for this task. She would teach primary students and might continue her own studies in higher classes, as well. The idea is to educate all transgender students so that they may earn a decent livelihood. Furthermore, qualified transpersons would be welcomed and encouraged for teaching other members of their community.

Primary Students would be taught English, Math and Urdu (integrated book for social studies, Islamiat and Science) while Elementary students Urdu, English, Mathematics, General Science, Islamiat and Pak Studies. The syllabus for high school students would include Urdu, English, Mathematics, General Science, Islamiat and Pak Studies along with two elective subjects of students’ own choice in accordance with board of intermediate and secondary education (BISE) examination system.

For higher secondary school students, it would be Urdu, English, Mathematics, General Science, Islamiat, and Pak Studies along with two elective subjects of students’ own choice in accordance with the BISE curriculum. It would be initially two-and-a-half hours school that may be further moved to three hours after a year. In summer, the timing would be from 3pm to 5:30pm and in winter, the timing would be 2:30pm to 5:00pm.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2022