LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

The Tibetan education movement is a dynamic one, which continues to extend and expand with the passing of the years. All advances made are inspired by a search for greater knowledge and supported generously by our friends in India and abroad.

To keep pace with the growing minds of our children, the educational system must grow too and no doubt the future will see many changes. But the basic is now well-established and will endure, its essence being to teach Tibetan subjects and those of the modern world in equal measure. This enables young Tibetans born in exile to develop a sense of national identity within the context of a world perspective. Such a balanced education has its value today in exile, as it will have tomorrow in Tibet whenever the time may come for us to return.

So for immediate future attempts will continue to be made to secure a school education for every Tibetan refugee child and to set up crèches and kindergarten facilities for the younger ones. We are always in search of sponsors for our school leavers, and hoping to be able to gradually expand their fields of study to take in a wider range of practical skills than at present.

The Tibetan Administration also hopes in time to take on a greater share of the responsibility for the Tibetan schools, relying on its steadily increasing experience and whenever funds available. We have found that schools run purely by Tibetans for Tibetans are very successful, which leads us to aim for a future in which more schools may be in Tibetan hands.

The responsibility for educating our children is both grave and exiting. We do not understand the problems that remain, nor deny that there is still much room for improvement in the existing structure. But we are happy and proud to see many Tibetan refugee children finishing school as educated, free-thinking individuals and going out to meet the world with enthusiasm. This is tribute to all those people involved with the Tibetan educational system in exile, not least to the children themselves who work with energy and determination. Indeed, they provide us with our greatest hope for the future.