Dharamshala: The Mewoen Tsuglag Petoen (Model) School celebrated its 14 years of educating Tibetan children based on the holistic approach of learning through the Basic Education Policy of the Tibetan exiles.
To implement a system of education with traditional Tibetan education as its core and modern education as its essential was the key vision behind developing the model Tibetan school on 10 October 2005 under the leadership of the Central Tibetan Administration.
Kalon Dr Pema Yangchen, Department of Education, CTA, vice-chairman of Sambhota Head office Tsewang Norbu, the principal and staff of the school came together to mark the proud milestone.
Speaking on the occasion, Kalon Dr Pema Yangchen hailed the event as an extraordinary moment symbolising the successful realisation of the vision of the Basic Education Policy-an official Education policy of CTA essentially premised on the profound teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Tibetan language, traditional wisdom, culture and Buddhist tradition.
Kalon Dr Yangchen pronounced the Basic Education Policy a smooth success given the robust implementation of the BEP policy in major Tibetan schools including the first model, Mewoen Tsuglag Petoen School.
The BEP was formally announced during the 6th Tibetan general conference on education after consultation with hundreds of Tibetan teachers and duly adopted by the Tibetan parliament.
The Education Kalon expressed gratitude to Kalon Trisur, Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche for his leadership in introducing the Basic Education Policy and further thanked the teachers, staff and parents for supporting the practical implementation.
In addition, she encouraged parents to fully understand the greater significance of the Basic Education Policy towards the preservation and full realisation of the rich Tibetan heritage as well as in enabling the holistic growth of children.
Education Kalon also noted the observance of the year 2019 as the year of speaking pure mother-tongue by the schools under the Sambhota Tibetan Schools Society and applauded them for their collective initiative.
Education Kalon Dr Pema Yangchen congratulated two members of the Sambhota schools for 25 years service and launched a book titled དཔེ་སྟོན་བྱིས་པའི་བུ་རལ།, a collection of writings of students of Mewoen Peteon school.
The Principal of the school, Tenzin Choedon briefed upon the inception and the progress of the school in the last 14 years including implementation of Education Policy, pilot classes on secular ethics, Tibetan dialectic classes and activities for improving reading skill and life skills in student’s daily life.
The official celebration saw a series of cultural performances and poem recitation by the students.