In continuation of her tour in Samtse, the Hon’ble Lyonpo visited some of the most remote chiwogs in the Dzongkhag including Nyimalung under Ugyentse gewog and Galaygaon under Yoeseltse gewog on April 19. Her journey continued on April 20 to Depheling in Sang-Ngag-Chhoeling gewog, followed by a visit to Satsangsa under Namgaychhoeling gewog on April 21, a location that requires more than three hours of travel.
During her interactions with the local communities, Lyonpo shared updates on key developmental interventions and budget allocations across sectors such as education, agriculture, health, rural infrastructure and road connectivity. She also took time to address the concerns raised by residents.
One of the key announcements was the upgrade of Yoeseltse HSS into a central school equipped with enhanced academic facilities including a better hostel, sports amenities, a library, computer labs and more co-curricular opportunities. Lyonpo added that this move will solve the need for a separate hostel benefiting students from four gewogs, particularly those who currently walk up to three hours or more to attend school. She encouraged them to consider the long-term benefits of enrolling students in central schools.
“While it is natural for parents to be concerned about sending their children far from home, central schools offer a wealth of opportunities that a remote school may not be able to provide,” Lyonpo explained. “From experienced teachers to better infrastructure, our goal is to ensure every child has access to quality education and holistic growth.”
Lyonpo also spoke about the “One Egg Per Child” programme, a noble initiative of the Hon’ble Lyonchhoen designed to address nutritional deficiencies in schoolchildren, especially protein intake. As part of this effort, every child enrolled in 292 primary schools, 50 ECRs and five special institutes receives one egg daily.
Further supporting student welfare, Lyonpo announced a significant increase in the monthly food stipend for students, enabling schools to provide more wholesome and nutritious meals. “These steps are all part of our broader goal to support the well-being and development of our children,” she added.
Responding to community requests for Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) services, Lyonpo reiterated the government’s commitment to establishing an ECCD center in every chiwog that meets basic requirements. In places where a physical center is not feasible, the government will roll out home-based ECCD services with equivalent resources to ensure that every child receives foundational learning opportunities.
Apart from education and nutrition, Lyonpo shared updates related to healthcare, agriculture, rural roads, insurance and other critical development activities in the pipeline. These initiatives aim to uplift livelihoods and ensure balanced growth even in the remotest parts of the country.
Lyonpo was accompanied by Dasho Dzongrab and education sector heads from Samtse during the tour to the chiwogs.
The visit provided Lyonpo with a valuable opportunity to engage directly with communities, gain a deeper understanding of grassroots realities and ensure that development efforts align with local needs.
Additional pictures online at: https://www.facebook.com/SherigBhutan/posts/1157453699754341
