THE RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS

The residential school at Mussoorie was the first to open in 1960, to be quickly followed by schools at Shimla and Darjeeling. As the number 0of children coming to India increased, four more residential schools were founded at Dalhousie, Kalimpong, Pachmari and Mount Abu, and each school then accommodated about 500 children. These schools were set up specifically to ensure an education that would combine the preservation of the Tibetan culture with modern subjects form out side world.

As more rehabilitation settlements were established for the Tibetan refugees and day schools started in them, many children from the residential schools could be transferred to these day schools and thus rejoin their families. As a result, three residential schools at Kalimpong, Pachmari and mount Abu could be closed down, leaving the four remaining schools to care for children whose parents live in remote areas with no educational facilities nearby.

At first the Indian Government generously took total financial responsibility for the refugee children in these schools . Then in 1975 it changed its policy with regard to all new entrants to the residential schools, on the basis that these children had been born in India and were therefore not strictly speaking refugees. While the Indian Government still undertook to provide free education , it began to charge Rs 100 per child and likely to be increased again soon because of the rising prices of all basic commodities. This sum is collected from the few parents who are able to pay, or is donated by sponsors from abroad.

The residential schools are headed by a Tibetan and an Indian, who are jointly responsible for the running of the school. Formerly the Tibetan Head was known as the principal, and the Indian as the Headmaster. In 1976 the Indian Government changed these titles to Rector(Tibetan) and Principal(Indian), though in essence the duties of both remained very much the same.

Today the four residential schools at Darjeeling , Dalhousie, Mussoorie and Shimla have a collective student strength of 2651, who may study up to High School or +2 level. Each school is divided into four Houses, with approximately 100 children per House, and the younger ones are placed in the care of house mothers or parents who act as substitutes for the children's own parents. About 15 to 20 children are allocated a foster mother and father, whose duty is to keep the children clean and neat and to create a homely atmosphere for them. The older children are divided into groups of 10 to 15 and are assigned for them. The older children are divided into groups of 10 to 15 and are assigned a group leader to supervise their daily activities and care for them.

The children are fed, clothed, sheltered and educated at the residential schools for ten months of the year, and most return to their homes for the long vacation. But if their parents are away-sweater selling or otherwise unable to take them at home, the children may remain at the school and recreation organized by the school authorities.