Presented by Rinchen Khando Choegyal

Respected Shri, K.S. Sarma, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India, Shri. M.K. Rao Secretary CTSA, Mr. Tsering Dhundup la, Secretary Department of Education, CTA, and participants. It gives me great pleasure to attend the Eleventh CTSA Heads of Institutions and Rector Meet and once again have the opportunity to meet all the school Principals, Rectors and Headmasters. I understand that during the course of the meet you will all be deliberating on a host of issues pertaining to bringing about all round improvement to the schools. I am confident that through such discussions we will be able to bring a distinct improvement in the quality of education, and facilities provided to the Tibetan children under the care of CTSA. I on behalf of the Tibetan administration and community would like to wish the Eleventh School Heads and Rectors Meet all success. Tashi Delek.

We Tibetans will remain ever grateful to the people and the Government of India for the immense kindness and generosity shown on us in our hour of greatest need. When we first came into exile in India in 1959 one of the most pressing concerns of His Holiness the Dalai Lama was the urgent need to provide care and attention to the hundreds of orphan and destitute Tibetan children who had escaped across the border. He appealed to the then Prime Minister of India Pandit Nehru who on seeing the plight of the children offered to help by establishing the Tibetan Schools Society an autonomous body, now known as the Central Tibetan Schools Administration. Its mission was to set up separate schools for Tibetan refugee children where they will receive a good modern education while at the same time learn their language, cultural heritage and maintain their identity.

Since its inception in 1961 initially with three residential schools located at Mussoorie, Shimla and Darjeeling with a total of 570 students, it has today become a large organisation comprising of 28 schools scattered across India with nearly eleven thousand children. It has been successful to a large extent in achieving its objectives of providing modern education and in transmitting our rich cultural heritage to the children. The success of CTSA is clearly reflected by the fact that its graduates today form the backbone of the Tibetan exile community serving in the various departments of the Central Tibetan Administration, schools, hospitals and non-government organisations. This achievement to a large extent is as a result of the dedication, devotion and hard work by the teachers and staff working in the schools. This in my view is your biggest gift to the Tibetan people and to our nation and I take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to the teachers and staff both past and present for your dedicated service.

I am glad to learn that this year also CTSA schools on the whole has done well in the class X and XII Board examination. My sincere congratulations to the students, teachers, school heads, rectors and to especially to Mr Rao and his team at the headquarters for this achievement. At the same time, I must impress upon you that it is not sufficient to merely produce good results but it is equally important for teachers and administrators to be role models instilling in the children a strong sense of honesty, hard work and dedication. I say this because of late we have been receiving complaints that mass copying is taking place in some schools during the common annual examinations with active encouragement from the subject teachers. If true, it is most unfortunate, as those children will be doomed for the rest of their life. I would like to request CTSA to see that such practices are curbed and serious action is taken against any staff found involved. I also feel that the existing role of the examination fairness committee be strengthened to include actual classroom invigilation of examination. I am quite certain this will prevent such unfortunate incidents.

Over the years, during my many visits to the schools, I was impressed to see all round development, especially improvement in infrastructure facilities and in academic environment in the schools. Important steps were also taken to strengthen transmission of Tibetan culture and traditional knowledge to the children in keeping with the aims and objectives of CTSA. However, we still have a long way to go to achieve excellence in the schools. I am informed that during the last year a lot of new projects related to infrastructure development and academic programmes have been initiated in the schools from the special budget sanctioned by the Government of India under Plan Budget. I clearly recall former Secretary Mr. S.P Datta saying that CTSA has applied for large grants under Plan Budget as the money was urgently needed for construction of much needed additional classrooms and quarters for teachers and staff in the schools. I am glad to hear that Rupees 9.6 crores has been sanctioned for the first time under Plan Budget for which I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Government Of India for the generosity and deep concern for the education and welfare of our children. I have no doubt this will go long way in improving the quality of education in our schools.

I however feel that much will depend on whether we are able to provide a proper environment in the schools congenial for learning. Unfortunately, during the last one year our schools have witnessed a spurt of disturbing activities initiated by a section of the staff which is causing great concern to the entire Tibetan community as it is destabilizing the smooth functioning of the schools. I would like to request CTSA to view these activities with utmost seriousness and take necessary prompt action. The education and future of our children are of paramount importance to us and we will do everything within our means to see that the welfare and education of our children is not jeopardized. At the same time we are equally concerned about the welfare of the teachers and staff members working in the schools and educating our children.

As suggested by the respected Chairman Shri M.M Jha, it had been decided to form a 'redressal forum' where genuine opinions and cases of concern from the staff members can be discussed and addressed. I am confident that through this forum we will be able to clear some of the misconceptions and misinformation that is being spread around and will also help put to rest any unfounded fears that may be in the minds of the staff members.

Lastly, I once again wish to thank the people and the Government of India for the unflinching support given to us. I also want to thank Shri M.M.Jha, Chairman CTSA for his deep concern for improving the education and the welfare of the Tibetan children. He is truly a constant source of inspiration for us. Once again, it gives me great pleasure to be present here at this conference of CTSA Institutional heads and Rectors and I hope you will all have a productive meeting.

Thank you very much.

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