Following the inauguration of the Yarabling Higher Secondary School on July 28, the Hon’ble Lyonpo for Education and Skills Development travelled to Trashiyantse Dzongkhag and visited the College of Zorig Chusum. The next day, Lyonpo visited the Khamdang Lower Secondary School (LSS). The visit focused on advancing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to enhancing the quality of education across the country.
At the College of Zorig Chusum, Lyonpo met with staff and discussed the growing relevance and potential of the TVET sector, particularly in the context of the upcoming Gelephu Mindfulness City. While touring the college campus, she observed a variety of well-crafted student products, noted the improved facilities in place and received briefings on the college’s efforts to integrate modern technology into the preservation and promotion of traditional skills.
During the meeting with teachers at Khamdang LSS, Lyonpo highlighted key priorities of the Ministry including improving infrastructure, enhancing professional development opportunities, aligning with the Cambridge curriculum and strengthening governance systems. She reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring that students across the country have access to conducive learning environments and quality education.
She shared about the immersion program which is designed to give educators broader exposure to evolving educational practices. She highlighted that many teachers have already benefited from the initiative and assured that every teacher in the country will be given opportunities for professional development training.
Addressing concerns about curriculum changes, she clarified that the Ministry is not fully adopting the Cambridge curriculum but is aligning specific components to suit national education goals. She further addressed a range of Ministry-related concerns including the National Teaching Service, contract teachers, student admissions, individual work plan, school consolidation, ICT enhancement and the child-per-costing model. She explained, these are part of a larger strategy to foster an efficient and inclusive education system.
Following the meeting, Lyonpo visited school facilities including classrooms where she interacted with students, the ICT room, science laboratory, library and the school’s ECCD center. She emphasised the importance of proper maintenance, particularly of the science lab and library as these facilities play a vital role in the holistic development of students.
During the visit, Lyonpo was accompanied by Dasho Dzongdag of Trashiyangtse and a representative from the Royal Bhutan Police among others.
Khamdang LSS currently serves 248 students including 122 boys and 126 girls with a dedicated staff of 22 teachers including a school counsellor. The students come from villages such as Brenglum, Shazam, Yartse, Pam, Rawa, Darchen and proper Khamdang. Due to the absence of a boarding facility, many students walk over an hour each way to attend school. The school’s ECCD center caters to 29 children and is managed by two facilitators.
Additional pictures are online at SherigBhutan
