(TibetanReview.net, Sep29’26) – The executive head of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Sikyong Penpa Tsering, has on Sep 28 cited low birth rate among exile Tibetans as a major reason for the declining trend in Tibetan school enrolments. There are other major reasons also, of course, including a near-total end to new refugee arrivals from Chinese occupied Tibet and many young Tibetans moving to the West due to tough livelihood opportunities in India and Nepal. Both he and the Education Kalon (minister) Urgen Tenzin have emphasized the urgency to strengthen the implementation of the CTA’s Basic Education Policy (BEP) in light of China’s recently enacted Ethnic Unity and Progress promotion Law (Ethnic Unity Law).
Presiding over the two-day, 14th meeting of the CTA’s Education Council and Advisory Committee, the Tibetan Sikyong has said the issues present a growing challenge to the CTA’s Department of Education, requiring more than simply offering advice or raising awareness.
Referring to the declining enrolments, he emphasised the need to understand the underlying demographic and social factors and to develop practical and sustainable measures to address the changing circumstances of Tibetan schools and communities, reported the CTA’s Tibet.net Sep 28.
He has also highlighted the financial challenges faced by the Tibetan schools in Nepal, noting that their sustainability requires close coordination between the CTA’s Department of Education and the Department of Finance.
The Sikyong has also addressed the challenges faced by Tibetans in exile, particularly among the younger generation living abroad. He has highlighted concerns over the declining use of Tibetan language and the difficulties faced in maintaining language proficiency among younger Tibetans. He has called for the strengthening of Tibetan language education and improvement in teaching methods.
He has also emphasised the urgent need to ensure that younger generation of Tibetans remain informed about the current situation in Tibet, expressing concern over policies and laws being implemented by China that are increasingly undermining the use and preservation of Tibetan language. He has stressed that the erosion of Tibetan language poses a serious challenge to the preservation of Tibetan identity, culture and heritage, and called on the younger generation to recognise the importance of safeguarding their language and maintaining their connection to Tibet.
The new Chair of the Education Council, Thupten Lungrig, has underlined the importance of the CTA’s BEP of 2004 whose core vision is to ensure the long-term preservation of Tibetan language and values.
Education Kalon Urgen Tenzin has said the implementation of the BEP had received overwhelmingly positive feedback and paved the way for a progressive implementation of BEP guidelines across various Tibetan schools in exile.
He has highlighted the transformative impact of the BEP within the Tibetan community, pointing, for comparison, out how India’s National Education Policy (NEP) seeks to foster independent, and holistic learning for future generations.
He has stressed the indispensable role of parents in understanding and upholding the policy at home, emphasising that family engagement is crucial to nurturing native language proficiency and traditional ethical values.
In light of China’s recently enacted Ethnic Unity Law, The education kalon has emphasized the urgent need to challenge the forced assimilation policies and protect Tibetan cultural and linguistic identity against China’s systematic erasure.