DHARAMSHALA: President Dr Lobsang Sangay of the Central Tibetan Administration today inaugurated Tibetan College Heads Meeting held at the Kashag secretariat hall.
Representatives from twelve Tibetan colleges and institutes, including The Dalai Lama Institute of Higher Education, Central University for Tibetan Studies (CUTS), Sarah College for Higher Tibetan studies, Norbulingka, Dolmaling Institute and others, participated in the meeting.
In his inaugural remarks, Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay expressed the emphasis placed on education by the Kashag to boost the state of Tibetan education to sustain Tibetan movement in the long run.
Sikyong lamented the fact that many Tibetan students fare below average in Indian colleges and universities, and frankly opined that we should start establishing schools based on specific subjects to promote academic specialisation.
Sikyong also recalled an advice from His Holiness the Dalai Lama about making efforts towards providing career guidance to Tibetan students.
“During an audience, His Holiness drew my attention towards students returning to Tibet in desperation after losing their way in schools and colleges. His Holiness advised me to look into these matters so that we can offer practical guidance and opportunities for the students to do something with their lives,” Sikyong said.
“We, on our parts, will do our best to fulfill His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s advice. We will also make sure that every Tibetan gets education,” Sikyong promised.
“Almost 90% of eligible Tibetan students are getting scholarship. We are now trying to make it 100%. To be frank, this is well beyond the scholarships offered by other bigger and more developed nations,” Sikyong explained.
Sikyong further drew attention towards onset of certain behavioral and mood disorders like depression among Tibetan youths, and urged the administrators and counselors to offer timely guidance and corrective measures,” he said.
Sikyong also spoke about the importance of incorporating secular ethics in Tibetan schools and colleges as advocated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Education Kalon Mr Ngodup Tsering reiterated Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay’s remarks and expressed that education is the most important domestic priority of the Kashag.
He expressed the need to strengthen the foundation of Tibetan education and urged more focus on primary education of Tibetan children.
He further spoke about the importance of secular ethics and called for incorporating it into Tibetan school curriculum.
The two-day meeting is organised by the education council of the Department of Education, Central Tibetan Administration. At least 24 administrators and counselors from 12 different cities including officials of the education department are participating in the meeting.
The main agendas for discussion during the meeting include efforts to impart Tibetan language and cultural education in colleges, incorporating secular ethics in school curriculum, inter college educational exchanges, fostering specialisation in schools, guidance on college applications and career goals, etc.