(TibetanReview.net, Mar08’25) – China has on Mar 7 vowed to continue its controversial education policy in occupied Tibet, claiming its focus is on civic education without addressing claims that it coercively separates Tibetan children from their parents and society with a view to acculturate them, making them think and act like ethnic Chinese people unabashedly loyal only to the Communist Party of China-state.
At the 14th National People’s Congress in Beijing, Xizang Chairman Mr Gama Cedain said that the Xizang autonomous region will continue promoting civic education despite repeated interference from the 14th Dalai Lama and his followers, reported China’s official chinadaily.com.cn Mar 7.
“Xizang” is China’s Sinicized name for Tibet. It decided to stop using the word “Tibet” in all its official documents and media reports in Oct 2023 in a move to Sinicize all discourses on the Tibetan Plateau territory it has forcibly occupied and ruled with iron fist since the middle of the last century.
Under the leadership of the central government and with nationwide support, Xizang has maintained stability and development, ensures a better quality of life for our people, Gama Cedain has maintained.
He has claimed that China’s educational focus in Tibet was being “constantly smeared and disrupted by the Dalai Lama and his group. But we will not be swayed. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and with the support of the people nationwide, we will continue to develop Xizang autonomous region, maintain its social stability and ensure a stronger sense of security, greater happiness, and a deeper sense of fulfilment for our people.”
Tibetans as well as international human rights bodies have criticized China’s education policy in Tibet even before the implementing the current, more coercive one which has reportedly snared up to a million Tibetan children in prison-like boarding school conditions.