The Biden administration is offering a $500,000 grant to help teach the English language in Pakistan to different marginalized segments including Pakistani transgender youth.”
The initiative was taken by the State Department to promote English language for better participation of youth in the global community and to prepare them for success in the work place.
It is aimed at providing professional development courses for English language teachers from non-mainstream institutions, novice Pakistani English language teachers, and transgender youth and Afghan teachers, students, and young professionals residing in Pakistan.
According to an official document , the program component that includes a focus on transgender youth accepts proposals from applicants “for a minimum of $25,000 and a maximum of $75,000 to implement intensive professional development courses for Pakistani transgender youth from the ages of 13-25, as well as professional development courses for Afghan teachers, students, and young professionals residing in Pakistan.”
These components aim to improve English language communication skills among trainees and connect them to a professional alumni network. Participating teachers will “share what they learned in these trainings with English-language professional colleagues, thereby influencing pedagogy in their schools and communities.”
Interested applications to the grant program are encouraged to address, “What is the most effective way to reach the greatest number of Pakistani transgender youth and Afghan teachers, students, and young professionals from diverse locations across Pakistan.”
A foreign media cited the spokesperson for the State Department as saying that the education project from the agency focuses on transgender youth as it often does with other “marginalized communities.” The spokesperson added that the grant funds will not be used for gender transitions.
