Dharamshala: Kalon Ven Karma Gelek Yuthok, Department of Religion and Culture, Kalon Dr Pema Yangchen, Department of Education, Education Council Chairman Geshe Lhakdor presided over the inaugural ceremony of the 8th conference of the Education Council and Advisory Committee at the Kashag Secretariat today.
Others at the conference include the Education Secretary Jigme Namgyal, members of the Education Council and the Advisory Committee and concerned staff.
Education Council Chairman Geshe Lhakdor in his address highlighted the importance of the agendas under review, such as the rules concerning the selection of educators and facilitating the development of non-academic areas like the performance arts, sports, art and crafts to nurture talents in different areas to promote holistic education. He commended the principles of the education policy while stressing their implementation.
While emphasizing the need for ethics-based education as part of the curriculum following the advice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, he noted the need for preservation of Tibetan language and cultural traditions, recommending a committee to be instituted for the same.
Education Kalon Dr Pema Yangchen highlighted the notable achievements of the department such as the implementation of education policy across schools, in accordance with the basic principles formulation of the curriculum for textbooks and other materials for publications involving indepth research and consultation and thanked the Education Council for their many contributions on behalf of the department.
Stressing the importance of research, Kalon asserted that education policies must be framed after research and evaluation and further proposed the establishment of a research committee within the department. She also recommended the committee to review the Eduction Policy of India 2020 to assess its relevance to the Tibetan education policy.
Chorig Kalon Ven Karma Gelek Yuthok recounted the evolution of the Education Council from its formation under Kalon Trisur Samdhong Rinpoche’s leadership to its increased role as an autonomous body today. He also noted the milestones of the Tibetan exile education system established by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and successively ushered by Samdhong Rinpoche’s administration to the progress made in the last decade under Sikyong’s leadership.
He also stressed the need to incorporate the rich Tibetan knowledge into the modern education perspective and called for policies that focus on long-term development and does not dissipate with trends. He concluded by wishing the Education Council the best with their endeavours.
The agenda of the two-day conference is to review the resolutions of the 7th meeting, the implementation of the English curriculum of classes 4-8, rules concerning selection and promotion of principal and teachers, skill-development of educators, and promoting virtual teaching, etc.
Owing to the pandemic restrictions, the 8th conference in 2020 had to be postponed and only after taking note of the recently improved situation the conference was scheduled for March 1-2, 2021. Members of the committee who could not come in person submitted their suggestions through letters.