Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 9 : The Central Tibetan Administration, has voiced deep concern over China's reinforcement of colonial-style boarding schools in Tibet.
According to a recent CTA press release, disturbing reports from the Ngaba region of Tibet highlight how China's education policies are threatening the preservation of Tibetan culture, religion, and lifestyle. The expansion and intensification of compulsory boarding schools are erasing Tibetan cultural identity.
The CTA reported that over 1,700 young monks from Kirti Monastery and two other monasteries in Dzoge County, Ngaba, are being forcibly removed from monastic life and enrolled in government-run boarding schools, despite the objections of the monks and their families.
This policy affects monks under 18, particularly those in 1st through 8th grades.
Further, CTA said that these schools, which emphasise political indoctrination and mandatory praise for the People's Republic of China (PRC), primarily teach in Mandarin Chinese. As a result, Tibetan language skills and cultural ties are being eroded.
Additionally, students are prohibited from visiting their monasteries during school breaks, further disconnecting them from Tibetan cultural and spiritual practices.
The CTA also reported that local authorities are threatening to revoke public benefits and even imprison parents who resist sending their children to these government-run schools.
Restrictions are also being imposed on Tibetans' ability to build new homes and on nomads' livestock numbers.
The CTA called for immediate action from the international community, including governments, the United Nations, human rights organisations, and educational institutions dedicated to protecting cultural diversity and religious freedom. It urged the Chinese government to honour its international legal obligations to protect the rights and religious freedoms of the Tibetan people and to halt its assimilationist policies in Tibetan regions.
Established in 1960, the CTA operates from Dharamsala, India, and seeks to promote the welfare of Tibetans and advocate for their rights and autonomy.
It plays a crucial role in the governance of the Tibetan community outside Tibet. Its responsibilities include enacting laws, approving budgets, and overseeing the work of the executive branch of the CTA.
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