Continuing the gewog tour in Samtse, the Hon’ble Lyonpo for Education and Skills Development visited Namgyachhoeling on August 10, Sang-Ngag-Chhoeling on August 11 and Ugyentse on August 12 assessing school facilities, farm roads and bridges while also engaging with local residents.
In Namgaychhoeling, Lyonpo visited the construction site of a 9 km farm road from Manidara to Shivolay via Jogitar along with a proposed suspension bridge.
Once completed, the route will benefit villages such as Shivolay, Bagaytar, Jogitar and Tshachugang villages which have around 30 landholdings. Currently, residents have to walk 2 hours to reach the nearest road point, often putting their safety at risk.
Another major development in the gewog is the bridge construction over the Jiti River at Tashachugang jointly proposed by residents of Sang-Ngag-Chhoeling and Namgaychhoeling gewogs. The work is expected to begin in October 2025 and complete by April 2026. At present, locals rely on a temporary bamboo bridge to cross the river which is a huge challenge particularly during the monsoon. Once built, the bridge will benefit 60 households and improve access to Menchu located across the river.
In Sang-Ngag-Chhoeling, Lyonpo visited the ongoing blacktopping of a 7.5 km farm road and the Sethikhola bridge site. The road stretches from Depheling Moed-Zero to Depheling Toed and Nidrupling to Sadhuzhima connecting four chiwogs namely, Depheling Moed, Depheling Toed, Nidrupling and Sadhuzhima and benefitting more than 400 households.
The proposed Sethikhola bridge is crucial for residents of both Nagmaychhoeling and Sang-Ngag-Chhoeling gewogs as well as two mining companies operating in the area. Without a proper bridge, the area poses severe risks, especially for school-going children and daily commuters as roads are frequently washed away during the monsoon.
In Ugyentse, Lyonpo visited five blacktopping farm road sites including Nyimalung, Lhendupling, Dangkarling, Jarithang and Tashiding-Jangsa which are expected to benefit around 200 households.
Lyonpo also toured Ugyentse Primary School to assess the infrastructure development underway. Once completed, the school will have a new administration block, a 9-unit toilet, school fencing and a school gate. In addition, renovations are ongoing for the ECCD center, a 7-unit classroom, a staffroom, a library, staff quarters and a football ground.
These improvements funded by the Government of India are designed to provide a model learning environment and complement the upcoming Yoetseltse Central School.
Presently, the school serves 184 students including 99 boys and 85 girls with a staff strength of 9 teachers.
All ongoing farm road and bridge projects are funded under the Small Development Project. These developments will play a critical role in enhancing the livelihoods of rural communities by ensuring better access to education, markets and health services while reducing risks and daily hardships for communities including students.
During her field visits, Lyonpo also interacted with local residents and discussed the progress of developmental works and the Ministry’s strategies to enhance the education sector. She highlighted the Yoeseltse Central School which will accommodate over a thousand students with improved facilities, an increased student stipend to ensure better nutrition, one egg per child initiative, curriculum reforms, a pension scheme for senior citizens and rural housing loans.
On the evening of August 12, Lyonpo met with Dasho Dzongdag of Samtse and a team including Dasho Dzongrab, Dzongkhag Education Officer and gups from four gewogs.
During the meeting, Lyonpo commended the progress observed in the field and emphasised the importance of maintaining quality and standards in the construction process to ensure the long-term sustainability of the infrastructure. She also shared various concerns raised by the communities and discussed education-related matters requiring Dzongkhag-level support. She concluded the meeting by acknowledging the team’s commitment to enhancing rural livelihoods.
Additional pictures online at SherigBhutan
