Kochi: India’s first residential school for transgender people will come up at a space leased out by a Christian organization in Kochi, the commercial capital of Kerala state.
Transgender rights activist and artist Kalki Subramaniam will open Sahaj International School on December 30.
The school will initially accommodate 10 people, who will study under the National Open School system, transgender activists Vijayaraja Mallika, Maya Menon and Faisal CK said on December 15. Six transgenders working with the TransIndia Foundation will lead the school, The Indian Express reported.
The students have been selected from different sections of the transgender community itself, which includes a disabled person and a migrant. “In the beginning, we have a few sponsors supporting us. We are planning to seek financial help from government after proving its worthiness,” said Mallika, who mooted the idea.
Christian organization pro-life sector and National Open School have extended their support for the initiative. A pool of teachers and social workers has volunteered to take classes for the students. Other skill development programs will also be included in the curriculum. The idea of the school was proposed to instill the belief that education was important and this initiative will ensure that even school drop-outs can resume their studies.
The school will provide education and examination equivalent to Class X and XII, the activists said. “The aim of transgender school is to provide transgenders security, salvation and sustainability,” Mallika added.
The transgenders had great difficulty in finding a place to start a school. “We must have been turned down by at least 50 building owners,” Mallika regretted.