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Bhutan's
Education |
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Bhutan's
Education |
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Happy
to be in school
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December
2003
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| Schoolmates give Gyeltshen (centre) a helping hand |
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Sitting
at the edge of the school assembly ground, Gyeltshen watches his friends,
students of Babesa community school in Thimphu, perform a traditional song
and dance as they celebrate the 96th National Day. He feels an urge to
join them, but Gyeltshen has difficulty balancing his body -he needs help
to climb steps and cross over drains. Few weeks after he was born Gyeltshen
was struck by a disease that left him partially paralyzed.
The
15-year old has just got the year-end class results. He has been promoted
to class I after studying for two years in the PP (pre-primary) level.
"I want to become a head master," Gyeltshen says as he shoves his marksheet
in his hemchu (gho pocket). |
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top
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Never
too late to be in school
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Gyeltshen
is the oldest student in his class but he has the determination and the
will power to that inspires says the school's headmaster, Lhagey Tshering.
"He was always in the school premises even before he was admitted. He would
peep through the classroom windows and leave only in the evening."
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| According
to his father, Wangchuk, Gyeltshen would disappear after breakfast from
home almost everyday. "We would always find him in the school." His parents
and relatives of course were not keen on sending him to school given his
inability to use his hands. But seeing that he was keen, the school took
him in two years ago. So Gyeltshen joined school when he was 13. Since
he cannot write, Gyeltshen sits for a separate class examination. He is
also exempted from paying tuition fees or buying school books. |
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Gyeltshen's
mother, Tshering Lhum, still feels that he should stay home. She worries
that he might create problems in school or injure himself on the way to
school. Gyeltshen enjoys school. "All my friends are in school and the
teachers are good to me," he said. According to Gyeltshen his friends,
both boys and girls are always ready to share a candy or help him climb
the stairs and cross the doorstep. Nobody in school pokes fun of his deficiency.
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a student, Gyeltshen is a bright and a cooperative student says his class
teacher, Tshering Dhendup. "Although he is much older than the other students
he gets along easily with his younger classmates. Sometimes he even acts
as the class captain and controls the class."
Teachers
and friends also like him for his humor and his courteous nature. "He is
very particular and always ready with greetings," says teacher Aita Raj.
The
school is closing for winter vacation and Gyeltshen is not happy. "I will
miss my friends," he says. |
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Next
year Gyeltshen's friends might miss him too. Headmaster Lhagey Tshering
plans to admit him in the Dragtsho Vocational Institute for the Disabled
in Thimphu. "As he grows up and moves into higher classes he may not be
happy when he realises that he is different from the others," says Lhagey
Tshering.
For
now Gyeltshen is content being a school student.
| Source:
Contributed by Ugyen Penjor, KUENSEL, Bhutan's National Newspaper, 2003 |
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