At the school’s main gate, the Tibetan language and culture education center in Rabgya Gangjong Norbuling and students pulled on their farewell scarves.

Dharamshala: The Chinese government has forcibly ordered the closure of the award-winning Jigme Gyaltsen Nationalities Vocational High School in Golog on 12 July 2024. As reported by reliable sources, the Chinese provincial government of Qinghai covered up the true reasons for the school’s closure by stating that the search and interrogation were conducted to determine if there were any monks or nuns under 18 and threatened severe punishment if they were found.

This closure of the Tibetan Vocational High School, run by the Snow Land Academy of Sciences, follows several similar closures of Tibetan private schools in recent years to terminate the preservation of Tibetan language and identity, including culture and religion. Several lawsuits and pressures from the Golog area’s Communist Party Secretary and other officials have been conspiring to close this school for many years.

The saddening news caused many upsets and emotional cryouts amongst the school’s teachers and students, and “many of the geshes and other monks at the college said that they had not been allowed to sleep at night.” Students shed tears wherever they travelled.

A group of Sherab Norbu Ling School students has also been sued for using the jewel and lion emblems featured on the Tibetan National Flag, which the Chinese government has banned, as their group’s logo. The group is dedicated to preserving the Tibetan language.

Jigme Gyaltsen, the school’s founder, has been wrongly accused of accepting bribes under the guise of being the chairman of the Snow Land Pastoral Association and the Qinghai-Tibet Trade Association. The charges against the school were initially tried, and Jigme Gyaltsen was found not guilty of any crime, as reported in an article on 28 June. He was also suspended from his duties as a member of the Tibetan Nationalities Council.

The Closing Ceremony of the Gangjong Sherab Norbu Ling

On 8 July 2024, the closing ceremony of the Gangjong Sherab Norbu Ling was held with a grand graduation ceremony. During their studies, 110 Tibetan students, fully trained in their minds and cultures, graduated from various colleges headed by Professor Zopa Sangpo and Professor Kalden Gyatso. The three lamas of the college, Geshe Jigme Gyaltsen, the founder of the college, Geshe Chenmo Dorje Tsultrim, the great spiritual teacher, and Professor Dong Yonten Gyatso, the great scholar, graced the graduation ceremony this year. All the staff and students of the college also attended the ceremony. The graduate students were presented with a certificate of graduation and gifts to the staff and journalists of the two classes. In their advice, the three teachers gave the students numerous pearls of wisdom that they should remember throughout their lives.

An online post dated 14 July 2024 by School Founder Ragya Jigme Gyaltsen expressed the following emotional message following graduation:

“To Jigme Gyaltsen Nationalities Vocational School of Golog, even if you are only thirty, you are still young and healthy, so what a pity. But what is impermanent is never permanent. It is the inevitable law of impermanence that things change from moment to moment. We believe in rebirth and that education through a series of lives is the most important thing. Why not pray for education in future lives? If death cannot be revived, what is the use of wailing? Therefore, it is best to pray for a perfect body in future lives. Please do not be sad, but take responsibility for your future.”

Brief History of School

The school was established in 1994 by the great teacher Ragya Jigme Gyaltsen with the full approval and support of the Machen County People’s Government and the Golog People’s Government. At first, there were 86 students, mainly from the inner part of Qinghai. In 2021, more than 1000 students, mainly from Tibet and Tibetan areas, were incorporated into the Chinese provinces of Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, Inner Mongolia and East Turkestan. The college has teachers and staff, including the principal, Ragya Jigme Gyaltsen, and the principal’s assistants, including the principal’s assistant, Professor Dampa Tsultrim Gyatso, Professor Chenmo Sherab Tendar, and Professor Dong Yonten Gyatso. The total number of students is nearly 1400. The college is a professional school with specialised classes: Tibetan language, English language, computer science, engineering, medicine, video and physical education. From 1994 to now, at least 2259 graduate students have completed their studies. There are at least 742 University students, at least 40 research students, at least three doctoral students, at least 102 government officials, at least 242 teachers, including 13 university teachers and lecturers, at least 108 monastic administrators and at least 252 businesspeople.

Summary of School Achievements

Over 30 years, graduate students have published over 300 books and written articles on literature, art, grammar, folklore, costume, and mountain and river cultures, contributing to the development of cultural education. Other graduate students have been successful in their careers as singers, dancers, athletes, film actors, film directors, TV producers and radio producers. After returning to society, they have established branch schools, established monasteries, and created environmental associations. The institute has established a partnership to develop new translation systems and educational materials, to develop pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, to develop eco-fertilizers, to develop local food products, and to produce Tibetan clothing. The institute has contributed to the development of the people and the country on a larger scale. On a smaller scale, it has helped people to become self-sufficient through their knowledge and have fewer responsibilities for their parents and the state. The Machen County People’s Government and the Machen County Education Office, the Golog County People’s Government and the Golog County Education Office, the Qinghai Province People’s Government and the Qinghai Province Education Office have repeatedly awarded the Machen County People’s Government and the Golog County People’s Government with the first place in the examination of academic excellence.

The university is also highly respected by the public and the religious authorities. The “Golden Award for Educational Hope” was first awarded to the university after the public elected and evaluated the academicians. Every year, teachers and academic officials from various schools in and out of the provinces come to study the university’s methods and direction of education. Researchers, professors and doctoral students from Beijing University, Zhongshan University, Hafo University, and Baccalaureate Australia come to study and investigate the university’s methods and direction of education.

The National People’s Political Consultative Conference (NPCCC) awarded Jigme Gyaltsen, the school’s founder, the “Zhonghua Charity Worker” title in recognition of his effectiveness in educating students. In, he was awarded the “National People’s Education Award” and the “National People’s Education School Award” he was selected as one of the “Four Famous Educators” and announced to the world. The Education Researcher and Education Specialist Yang Dongfen and the Education Specialist Li Qinxu, under the State Council’s Special Research Office, visited the school to study and write a paper. They praised the school as “the most outstanding school in the Central Plains region” and said that the school’s model of education was of great research value. Recently, the university has been selected and awarded as one of the “Ten Innovative Communal Schools” nationwide. In short, the effectiveness and achievements of the university have been reported many times by the media, including Qinghai TV, Zhangjiakou TV, Fujian TV, and Central Television. The university’s fame has spread to the world through television and radio, and its influence has spread to the country.

Final Group Picture of Jigme Gyaltsen, the head of Ragya Sherig Norbu Ling, with the school teachers and staff.

Still from the Closing Ceremony of the Ragya Gangjong Sherab Norbu Ling.

An online post dated 14 July 2024, by School Founder Rabgya Jigme Gyaltsen expressed the following emotional messages following graduation.