Tibetan classes banned in Kham Karzê middle schools

In March this year, Kanzi Prefecture Bureau of Education authorities issued a notice banning Tibetan classes for all middle schools from 2024. This is the last year before Tibetan classes are removed from the middle school curriculum in the Kham Karze region.

A graduate student in Tibet stated to Tibet Watch, “I have graduated this year from Luding Tibetan Middle School, and this is the last year of Tibetan language class being taught in our school. When schools restarted after the Tibetan Losar break (New Year), the Karzi Prefecture Bureau of Education issued a notice banning the teaching of Tibetan language classes in middle schools. The notice state that from next year, 2024, there will be no teaching of Tibetan language classes in Kangding Zangwen Middle School, Luding Tibetan Middle School, Karzi Tibetan Middle School, Yajiang Tibetan Middle School and Dege Tibetan Middle School. This notice has been sent to all the schools, and they have been instructed not to share or post it on social media, etc.” Anybody doing such will be punished as per their State Law, says the source.

Middle school in Minyak County.

The same source further said, “However, from next year, 2024, there’s no Tibetan class in all middle schools in Kham Karzi region. The authorities of the Education Bureau mentioned this decision had been issued from the higher authority of education offices, but they have not explained the reason why the teaching of Tibetan language classes in middle school is being barred from next year. Currently, there are about 5 to 6 middle schools, including those mentioned above, that teach the Tibetan language, but all this will be ended as of next year.”

Although an official reason hasn’t been provided, this information follows a series of school closures imposed by Chinese authorities across Tibet. Tibetans, including leading expert Dr Gyal Lo, have expressed fears about the future of the Tibetan language and Tibet’s very future due to these restrictions.

Middle school in Dartsedo, Kham.

These restrictions are coupled with the Chinese government’s residential boarding schools policy, which has seen over 900,000 Tibetan children placed in centralised boarding schools. The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recommended earlier this year that this policy be ended.