On April 23, the Hon’ble Lyonpo met with Dasho Dzondag, Dasho Dzongrab, senior officials and gups from Ugyentse, Yoeseltse, Sang-Ngag-Chhoeling and Namgaychhoeling gewogs following her visit to remote schools and chiwogs in the region.
During interaction, Lyonpo shared key observations and challenges witnessed during her tour to 13 schools and four chiwogs including Nyimalung, Galaygaon, Depheling and Satsangsa.
Lyonpo expressed concern over the poor state of school infrastructure highlighting the lack of adequate academic buildings, student hostels, libraries, transport facilities and staff quarters, all critical to the holistic development of students in rural areas. She also brought attention to the community concerns regarding Early Childhood Care and Development centers, Extended Classrooms and road connectivity. She urged the Dzongkhag Administration to explore feasible solutions to address these issues.
Lyonpo also emphasised the importance of engaging parents to understand the long-term benefits of enrolling their children in central schools which offer better learning opportunities and resources compared to smaller, under-resourced local schools.
Additionally, Lyonpo outlined the Ministry’s ongoing initiatives aimed at strengthening the education system. These include skilling programs to prepare students for the workforce, curriculum alignment, the digitization of education, the “One Egg Per Child” nutrition program, increased food stipends and a plan to adopt a cost-per-child model to allocate resources efficiently.
The meeting also covered updates on the revised Individual Work Plan, moderation exercises and the Bhutan Professional Standards for Teachers which now offer more flexible, teacher-friendly approaches.
Reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to equitable education, Lyonpo stressed the importance of collective efforts to create sustainable improvements in schools and local communities.
Lyonpo’s tour of Samtse from April 16-24 facilitated meaningful discussions with students, teachers and the local community.
