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Will push for permanent job for Sambhota teachers: CTA education minister

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Kalon (Minister) Tharlam Dolma Changra, Department of Education (CTA), addressing the gathering (Photo/Tenzin Phende/CTA)

Tsering Dhundup

DHARAMSHALA, Jan. 10: Central Tibetan Administration education minister Tharlam Dolma Changra revealed that all necessary documents have been prepared to initiate discussions with Indian government regarding permanent job status for temporary teachers in the Sambhota Tibetan Schools. She was speaking at the closing ceremony of the 8th Tibetan General Conference on Education, held at Sikyong Hall in Gangchen Kyishong in Dharamshala.

“The Sambhota administration and the Department of Education, CTA, are waiting for an appointment with the concerned Indian department of education. We will request and work to plead the issue,” Minister Tharlam Dolma Changra assured attendees.

The Sambhota Tibetan Schools Society (STSS), one of four key Tibetan school institutions in exile, has grappled with challenges stemming from a large portion of its teaching staff being employed on temporary contracts. The lack of job security has caused a number of teachers to leave, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability and quality of education in these schools.

The three-day conference, held from January 7 to 9, brought together over 200 educators and administrators from the four major Tibetan school institutions and independent schools. Organised by the Department of Education under the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).

Participants of the 8th Tibetan General Conference on Education with distinguished guests (Photo/Tenzin Phende/CTA)

The conference concentrated on four critical agendas to address the challenges facing Tibetan schools in exile. A key focus was enhancing educational quality, which included strategies such as merging schools to counteract declining student numbers.

The conference also emphasised the need to support the growing number of students with special needs, ensuring inclusivity within the education system. Another priority was the effective integration of information technology into teaching and learning processes to modernise education and improve outcomes.

Lastly, the conference addressed the urgent issue of countering China’s policy of forcing Tibetan children into boarding schools in Tibet, a strategy aimed at erasing Tibetan identity, by exploring measures to safeguard and promote Tibetan cultural and linguistic heritage.

In his address during the opening ceremony, President Penpa Tsering emphasised the need to include educators from Tibetan language schools in Western and Australasian countries in future conferences, noting the growing number of Tibetan students abroad. Acknowledging the declining student population in Indian Tibetan schools due to increasing emigration, Tsering urged the collection of accurate student data to inform effective educational programs.

The President also called for a zero-tolerance policy toward gender-based sexual violence (GBSV) within schools, advocating for immediate intervention in such cases. Addressing salary disparities among teachers in different Tibetan school systems, he proposed standardising and equalising pay scales to ensure equity and attract qualified educators.

The growing enrolment of Himalayan students in Tibetan schools was another key focus. He emphasised the importance of collaboration with Himalayan communities to preserve shared linguistic and cultural heritage, calling it a critical resource for future generations.

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