tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10446847264606622142024-03-18T16:19:42.485-07:00Dumcho's NOTEBOOK“Doesn't always have to be a rose to smell sweet"Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.comBlogger228125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-31583084338350089732024-03-02T07:04:00.000-08:002024-03-18T16:19:10.880-07:00The School Week Debate<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span lang="EN-US">We have witnessed enough drama surrounding the controversial debate over whether to keep or eliminate Saturday from the school week during the political common forums. The <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/govts-saturday-off-pledge-sparks-debate/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">spark of the debate</a> </span>has reignited as </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/norbu.wangchuk.1/videos/322594127149747" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #0432ff;">the government that pledged during political campaign to keep Saturdays off</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: 36pt;"> disclosed to the media regarding the committee's suggestion to retain Saturday as regular working days. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2hYtaI1LsTakranfPdezPAHhXz9Yq5uFI1VuYYNo6SLVRSbT5qIu2hJIArsRPGKh8csr1TDd6MJr-73j6lpxF6iS69gp1Z0E_xpRzkTN2JVE0pZ06w91K0sxlZsPP7nJnqsIMJAJi9PjCg-e4YSfdmmRB-HsigkD7HDfLyDtU73g9UwWZPMAPTnqYFE/s720/pd.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="720" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2hYtaI1LsTakranfPdezPAHhXz9Yq5uFI1VuYYNo6SLVRSbT5qIu2hJIArsRPGKh8csr1TDd6MJr-73j6lpxF6iS69gp1Z0E_xpRzkTN2JVE0pZ06w91K0sxlZsPP7nJnqsIMJAJi9PjCg-e4YSfdmmRB-HsigkD7HDfLyDtU73g9UwWZPMAPTnqYFE/w640-h460/pd.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: 36pt;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-US">Drawing from my experience as a former schoolteacher, I have <i>always</i> longed for the </span><a href="http://www.education.gov.bt/" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #0432ff;">Ministry of Education</span></a><span lang="EN-US"> to remain isolated from the clutch of politics. It was a terrible and frustrating ordeal to be at the receiving end when <i>education</i> was politicised. For every five years, teachers would find themselves conforming to the whims of directives from the ruling political parties to dance to the tunes of their party manifestoes - only to witness their efforts swiftly scrapped by the incoming parties upon assuming power. </span><span lang="EN-US">The aftermath they produce after prostituting the education ministry due to their myopic visions was enough to leave teachers chaotic, irritated, and disoriented. But for now, the idea to discuss this complex web of politics in education is <i>not </i>my interest and therefore, beyond the scope of this article. Instead, I zoom in on the controversial debate surrounding the fate of Saturdays in the school week.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-US">Generally, the decision of whether to have Saturdays off for the school largely depends on the educational system and its contextual settings. For example, </span><a href="https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/education-rankings-by-country" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #0432ff;">in countries where education system is thriving,</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #0432ff;"> </span><span lang="EN-US">the idea of Saturday as a weekend holiday is not even a matter of debate. Despite schools having only a five-day school week with Saturdays off, these countries have high-end education systems.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">However, in Bhutan, perhaps in a quest of fulfilling the much-touted <i>quality wholesome education</i>, our experts have venerated the longstanding tradition of holding classes even on Saturdays. Whether we are fulfilling the ideals of quality wholesome education is still debatable, two things are evident; First, our teachers unlike their counterparts worldwide, juggle multiple non-curricular roles alongside teaching. Second, the much-espoused <i>quality wholesome education</i> that we aspire for, still lacks clear (contextual) definition or conceptual framework of our own, remaining as the most contested subjects in our society. Let alone others, this ambiguity challenges even our (education) experts, to clearly delineate what falls within the scope of this controversial subject. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-US">Categorically speaking, whether it was born of genuine necessity or calculated political maneuvering, the arrival of democracy has triggered the debate concerning the exclusion of Saturdays from school week. In political arena, the debate has become more than a phenomenon and worse than a pandemic. That is why in every political campaign, we witness the recurrence of this issue, often materialised as a political bait to garner votes. At one point, the </span><a href="https://drukjournal.bt/druk-nyamrup-tshogpa/" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #0432ff;">Druk Nyamrog Tshogpa (DNT)</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="color: red;"> </span><span lang="EN-US">issued directives to consider Saturdays <i>optional</i> for regular school week. However, this <i>ambiguous </i>(which I explain later) order was short-lived, as a new political party reinstated Saturdays back into conventional school routine. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">This contentious game of removing and reintroducing Saturdays now raises a fundamental question: <b>What drives us to trigger this controversy?<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">If the reasons are political, I am not the one to discuss them. If it is educational, I may have some opinions to offer, considering my stint as a teacher for over a decade. Although the details are not exhaustive, following the latter perspectives, I outline the benefits of incorporating Saturdays into the school week, followed by the consideration of keeping Saturdays off. I then offer an insider’s views (emic perspective) to highlight observations and occurrences on Saturdays in our schools that are largely <i>taken-for-granted</i>.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;">Keeping Saturdays</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"> as School Days</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Having additional days means more instructional hours, which could potentially contribute to a thorough coverage of curricular requirements. That is, beyond academics, the extra day may offer opportunities for delivering the much-espoused <i>wholesome</i> education by including extracurricular activities (e.g., games and sports, clubs) and character-building programs (scouting, value education, agriculture) in the schools. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-US">Studies have indicated that Bhutanese curriculum is oversubscribed and content laden </span><span lang="EN-US">(Childs et al., 2012; Schuelka et al., 2018; Sherab & Schuelka, 2023)</span><span lang="EN-US">. Unless we streamline our curriculum by focusing only on essentials, using Saturday in the regular school week would be a viable alternative to optimise curriculum coverage – perhaps due to which it is continued until today. Teachers may have the flexibility to distribute the teaching materials more evenly, reducing the anxiety to rush through lessons. This extended timeframe may allow for a more in-depth exploration of subjects and possibly facilitate a thorough engagement during teaching-learning process. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #0b5394; line-height: 32px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;">Keeping Saturdays Off</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"> </span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Keeping Saturdays off from the school week also offers equal, if not greater, share of merits. For example, having Saturdays off will provide both teachers and students with two full days to take a break (<i>not</i> rest), rejuvenate, or engage in extracurricular activities (e.g., hobbies, hiking, pilgrimage, sports, or socialisation). By <i>breaks</i>, I mean, an active period of engagement in teaching-learning process whereas <i>rest</i> implies a more passive state of recuperation. Teachers and students having <i>breaks</i> can contribute to their overall well-being and work/study–life balance. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-US">Keeping Saturdays off from teaching can facilitate both the quantity and quality of family time. For parents who reside away from their kids attending boarding schools, these days would be an excellent opportunity to reunite and share meals with them. Even if the meals provided in the schools are of top quality, at times, we often have that craving for home-cooked meals. Such opportunities for frequent meetings can arguably strengthen family bonds. From sociological lens, social bonds (<i><b>social</b></i> and <i><b>emotional</b></i> connections) between individuals are </span>constantly being <i>formed, maintained, disrupted, </i>or<i> repaired</i>. <span lang="EN-US">Scheff (1997)</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US">argues that social </span><span lang="EN-US">bonds, if not being formed, maintained, or repaired, may be broken. Emotions are </span><span lang="EN-US">cultural phenomenon </span>(Barrett, 2017; Markus & Kitayama, 1991; Pugh et al., 2022; Retzinger, 1991)<span lang="EN-US">, with an individual’s emotions being constantly shaped by the cultural ideas and practices prevalent in their society. </span><span lang="EN-US">The theory suggests that when individuals have secure bonds, they experience the </span>feelings of <i>solidarity</i> or social cohesion. When insecure or loose bonds are formed, it leads to feelings of <i>isolation/alienation</i>. In <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Emile-Durkheim" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;">Durkheimian ideology</span></a><span style="color: #0432ff;">, </span>social isolations and disconnect are referred to have associations with higher likelihoods of suicidal ideation (Durkheim, 1897/1952). Hence, sociological theories have acknowledged social bonds as fundamental for fostering social solidarity (Collins, 2004; Collins, 2020; Scheff, 1997) which is critical to uphold particularly in this modern social contexts where the nature and culture of work are increasingly leading to social distancing by limiting our interactions. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-US">A longer weekend can be beneficial in minimising stress and burnout for both students and teachers. It allows them to revitalise and prepare for the upcoming school week. I have often noticed that students feel overwhelmed by the </span><span style="color: #222222;">sheer volume of homework they get from different disciplines – resulting in incomplete tasks most of the time. This is not their fault because they are juggling multiple subjects with different homework requirements. While a well-structured school homework timetable might seem like a practical solution by appearing as tangible solution of addressing students’ homework, we are well familiar with its impracticality. When works remain incomplete, students feel even more overwhelmed and academically lost, potentially resulting to withdraw their interest in learning. Such experience of negative emotions and sentiments may trigger mental health issues such as anxiety or stress.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-large;">With Saturdays off, both teachers and students will have the flexibility to schedule appointments, attend events of their own, or engage in social activities that might otherwise be challenging during a typical school day. This will contrast with the current trend where teachers use their casual leave on Saturdays while other civil servants derive dividends of fully paid weekends. For students, this time off can be used to pursue extracurricular interests, participate in community service, or simply relax and refresh. Overall, such educational arrangement may enable a more balanced and adaptable learning environment that supports the diverse needs and interests of both teachers and students. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Business/4-day-workweek-work-companies-share-results-after/story?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dhfacebook&utm_content=app.dashhudson.com/abcnews/library/media/385713012&id=107635577" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #0432ff;">Studies have begun to evidence that keeping long weekends contributes to more efficiency, happier employees, lesser turnover rates, and inviting more people to apply for the work</span></a><span lang="EN-US">. We cannot overlook such possibility in our context as well, especially </span><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/?s=teacher+attrition" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #0432ff;">when we are experiencing significant teacher attrition</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #0432ff;">. </span><span lang="EN-US">Perhaps, more than a salary hike, who knows, this option could be one noble approach to retain experienced teachers and attract enthusiastic individuals to join the teaching profession. </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span face="-webkit-standard" style="caret-color: rgb(11, 83, 148); color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b>What is Happening in Our Schools on Saturdays?</b></span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: x-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b> </b></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;">During the <a href="http://www.education.gov.bt/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/33rd_epgi_2019.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">19th National Education Conference (NEC), the then-Ministry of Education</span></a> advised schools not to hold classes on Saturdays and instead use them for Professional Development (PD) programmes and extracurricular activities. This resolution also implied that <a href="https://kuenselonline.com/it-is-official-no-classes-on-saturdays/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">students would take leave while teachers engage in PD activities</span></a>. However, the notification stirred a sea of confusion, including those conference attendees, about whether Saturdays should be part of the school week. Consequently, many </span></span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: 36pt;">interpreted the notification as <i><b>optional</b></i>, leaving it up to school Principals to decide the fate of Saturdays at their respective school. The ambiguity and the side-effect of a resolution endorsed through a </span><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/it-is-official-no-classes-on-saturdays/" rel="nofollow" style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: 36pt;" target="_blank">show of hands </a><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: 36pt;">have resulted in some schools observing Saturdays as PD day while others remained closed.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The 19th NEC also endorsed a resolution requiring every teacher to attend 80 hours of PD, of which 40 hours will be provided by the Ministry, 20 hours by the District, and 20 hours by the schools. However, not only is achievement of this resolution largely questionable, but the way our education leaders and school managers conceptualise and organise PD is appalling.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">By <a href="https://www.oecd.org/berlin/43541636.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">OECD definition</span></a>, PD programmes are engagements that offers teachers learning opportunities to enhance their knowledge, skills, and pedagogical practices. Ironically, PD courses in our schools often end-up doing mundane school chores such as result analysis, developing test blueprint, or assigning inchargeships, just to meet the school's 20-hour PD requirement. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Although teachers make up a significant component of our civil service, the cost of delivering PD programs for them may be relatively frugal than in other sectors. This is because, PDs for teachers are largely held within or nearby schools, accessing school mess targeted to reduce financial implications.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">If Saturdays are to be utilised effectively, PDs should offer unique and engaging learning opportunities, rather than organising to satisfy the quota of required PD hours. Conducting PDs in new environments, (not necessarily in high-end hotels as other sectors do), may add an element of novelty and excitement for teachers, breaking the monotony of workshops in familiar settings. Even if it falls on Saturdays, such a shift may boost teachers’ motivation and engagement, making them feel valued and fostering a growth mindset. Recognising teachers’ contribution and giving authentic opportunities for PD may result in a more favourable attitude towards PD, thereby inspiring them to implement novel ideas, renew their energy, and contribute to their overall well-being and professional growth. Again, such simple scheme may contribute to limiting the alarming <a href="https://kuenselonline.com/?s=teacher+attrition" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">rate of teacher attrition</span></a><span style="color: #2b00fe;">.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">In boarding schools, Saturdays hardly qualify as weekends. For example, a teacher-on-duty (TOD) responsible for running the school throughout the day must remain on campus. The associated hazards and vulnerabilities of students’ that may endanger their safety and wellbeing are often interpreted as TOD’s accountability, necessitating TODs being in the schools throughout the day. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background: repeat white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">The list of tasks teachers perform in schools on Saturdays may vary depending on different contexts. These includes the type of school (boarding/day-school; remote/urban), the amount of teachers (excess/shortage), school managers (myopic/ farsighted) and of course, kind of non-curricular activities (e.g., games and sports, scouting, agriculture, clubs, house competitions) held on Saturdays. </span></p>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-51829784806666635142024-01-28T07:51:00.000-08:002024-03-01T18:07:13.840-08:00Looking Beyond the Grades<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">As a student who fairly achieved commendable academic performance, I always had the conviction that test and exam results served as essential metrics for assessing students’ calibre and predicting their future success. I nurtured this belief because whenever my teachers quoted an example of high-performing students, my name was often declared loudly. These traditions of celebration in my schools always made me feel recognised and successful, resulting in increased pride for both my teachers and me. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">My long experience of being an academic high-achiever also ushered me through a myriad of responsibilities, including the need to continually strive for excellence and uphold a steady if not better calibre of performance throughout other grades. I was always mindful that failing to meet those expectations could engender disappointment in my teachers and parents, and trigger emotional turbulence for me, especially if others clutch my esteemed position. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">However, I had a notable shift in the paradigm of my perspective after I was unable to perform well during a high-stake Year 12 public exam, which unfortunately served as an entrance ticket to the labour market. This devastating experience prompted me to redefine my outlook on the role of exams in gauging student success. Subsequently, my transition into a teaching role for over a decade until my resignation in 2020, profoundly reshaped my beliefs, instilling a polar opposite perspective. It became evident to me that regarding exam performance as an exclusive factor to associate student success and lavishly worshipping it was a narrow viewpoint. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Consequently, whenever discussions including in the school settings emerge regarding the declaration of students’ exam results publicly, I consistently advocate for a more nuanced perspective. I maintained this stance, particularly given the recent trends among our schools, school assessment institutions, and significant stakeholders who have surprisingly grown interested in mushrooming a tradition of glorifying academic toppers with overwhelming worship in public domains like social media. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">It is one thing to celebrate academic achievements in public domains, but it is quite another to embrace a holistic approach to recognising and appreciating the diverse talents of individual students. Therefore, a broader, supportive, and inclusive platform that acknowledges and values various forms of achievement and potential evident throughout students’ journey of learning is rather praiseworthy for celebrating the overall well-being and development of students. By steering such actions, we are intentionally preventing practices that could unintentionally marginalise or negatively impact those who may not have excelled academically. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">In this article, I offer my views from both perspectives: why it <i>might</i> be and why it <i>might not</i> be a good practice to venerate exam results in public domains. I address each perspective in turn. But before delving into that, I discuss why examinations are firstly inherently unfair, and therefore, celebrating students’ examination results, within or among schools, extravagantly in the public domain may entail more drawbacks than commonly perceived benefits. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b>Why are exams inherently unfair? </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">My assertion that exams are inherently unfair is grounded based on my understanding and experience particularly following my Year 12 public exam result. I have observed that there are other factors beyond student’s understanding of the subject matter that leads to this unfair advantage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">For example, variables such as </span><span style="line-height: 28px;">socioeconomic background (e.g., high/low-income), school setting (e.g., urban, remote), school leadership qualities (e.g., visionary, supportive), equitable educational resources (e.g., adequate, and experienced teachers, internet and computers, library, student support services), and most importantly individual learning styles (e.g., test-taking skills, mental health), </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">to name a few, </span><span style="line-height: 28px;">significantly </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">influence students’ performance in examinations. </span><span style="line-height: 28px;">An inherent bias and inequalities in these things create an uneven playing field and the validity of exams as a reliable measure of academic proficiency remains questionable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">Talking about comparing examination performances at the inter-level school, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">my friends who attended a well-facilitated and academically renowned school, having a visionary school principal and seasoned teachers excelled significantly in the Year 12 public exam compared to us, who studied in a newly upgraded higher secondary school that lacked essential resources. Even after two decades today, my friends and I can vividly recall how months passed without any physics teacher until a seemingly inexperienced expatriate joined us mid-year, only to annoy us (especially myself after he hated me for asking questions) by telling us to memorise physics derivations. We can also recollect how our batch was denied electricity in the hostel to study after 9:00 PM, and how wardens confiscated and destroyed our study lanterns. In such scenarios, </span><span style="line-height: 28px;">the only common factor between me and my counterparts studying in other schools was following the same textbook or curriculum, and nothing else.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="line-height: 28px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQofcQNiucUfr4rpynbtGu7LXJoY7t6KD8QLk-orKn5VKChJAmJdjYq50d7-IQCT6AA8JgxDMCmKVAOEDGXo6hxk0g6fmTiPJ-GAEb4RgxJjfoXYDTvrn5ob2d9wSOqirI9g7ZDLNC0Xu1dVZ6oiMq-iacufJRZcucjvaRoWO6L6l3hEydRzymvMu2GqU/s2158/ddd.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1732" data-original-width="2158" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQofcQNiucUfr4rpynbtGu7LXJoY7t6KD8QLk-orKn5VKChJAmJdjYq50d7-IQCT6AA8JgxDMCmKVAOEDGXo6hxk0g6fmTiPJ-GAEb4RgxJjfoXYDTvrn5ob2d9wSOqirI9g7ZDLNC0Xu1dVZ6oiMq-iacufJRZcucjvaRoWO6L6l3hEydRzymvMu2GqU/w640-h514/ddd.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;">My Year 12 marksheet where I just scrapped a passing grade (pass mark 45) </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">At the personal level, I have identified that examinations occur like a game of luck, </span><span style="line-height: 28px;">where outcomes depend on how precisely a student prepares for the specific content included in the exam. Those fortunate are the ones who prepare to encounter the contents they studied, resulting in a laudable outcome. Unlucky are those who have diligently put in an effort but only face questions unrelated to their study material, resulting in subpar performances. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">In situations like these days where exam scores hold utmost importance, arguably, exams often develop into avenues that reward rote memorisation, allowing students to excel without a profound understanding of the subject, if they can reproduce textbook content.</span></span><span style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Additionally, I have also observed some of my friends who are more or equally competent but often experience heightened anxiety during tests and exams, resulting in low performances regardless of their understanding of the content. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span style="line-height: 28px;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span style="line-height: 28px;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc80t435yd-hYA9G8Y4TaWbfDLpVwhZDmtTVCS6Y6zVU0mFyvtpXEJz9CY4RmTh4Sg-7yGxfA5VIsXhtg2tLjd_-1Z_bgyfC3rMNK8nrZwhGe3ZGeuRvNe-dT46qjov0tZkS8vvvIBn02vlfuaADKEgG2Kl1YI97tj9bR7fk00vtMeBK_3SEVbOByQ6Wg/s2678/Screenshot%202024-01-29%20at%2010.08.06.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1836" data-original-width="2678" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc80t435yd-hYA9G8Y4TaWbfDLpVwhZDmtTVCS6Y6zVU0mFyvtpXEJz9CY4RmTh4Sg-7yGxfA5VIsXhtg2tLjd_-1Z_bgyfC3rMNK8nrZwhGe3ZGeuRvNe-dT46qjov0tZkS8vvvIBn02vlfuaADKEgG2Kl1YI97tj9bR7fk00vtMeBK_3SEVbOByQ6Wg/w640-h438/Screenshot%202024-01-29%20at%2010.08.06.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;">That is why I say exams are mostly a matter of luck . At least in the college, I was the recipient of the certificate of excellence - a recognition for outstanding academic performance </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="line-height: 28px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2ZQeBk2VU_4qRO-alVe23R6Ntnjj4NTMCC9H7Oan0FcDVU1jvzG3oVSlk1pqx2M13qiO_QashO6Zk7H3uaLnixVS6IKA6M3tNqGMkiHaTxZEk5Sjp59dffkcfMVnsfSKMoUcmkqiCHwly6vPcHjk2A5ali6dK0_Lc5GrQ8J8vm4_5Sm5R1AervxK-8g/s1684/Screenshot%202024-01-29%20at%2012.56.08.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1684" data-original-width="1406" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2ZQeBk2VU_4qRO-alVe23R6Ntnjj4NTMCC9H7Oan0FcDVU1jvzG3oVSlk1pqx2M13qiO_QashO6Zk7H3uaLnixVS6IKA6M3tNqGMkiHaTxZEk5Sjp59dffkcfMVnsfSKMoUcmkqiCHwly6vPcHjk2A5ali6dK0_Lc5GrQ8J8vm4_5Sm5R1AervxK-8g/w534-h640/Screenshot%202024-01-29%20at%2012.56.08.png" width="534" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;">Alternatively, neither do I remember using my character certificate nor I recall anyone asking about the qualities that comprehensively reflect my behaviour, conduct, attitude, and achievements 😜 </span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b>Why it might be a good practice to glorify exam results? </b></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">The hype surrounding the public celebration of exam results of high achievers reflects the enthusiastic way of promoting educational achievements and recognising academic talents in today’s society. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I agree that when academic high achievers are celebrated and their exemplary performances are woven as success stories, it demonstrates the well-deserved recognition of their resilience, dedication, and academic focus. Celebrating top-performing students is not only about rewarding individual talent but also an approach to motivating other academically struggling counterparts to pursue academic excellence. As is typical for humans, there is a natural inclination for low performers to seek the best as a source of inspiration and role model, fostering a culture of ambition and reshaping their academic commitment. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">In addition, the adoption of such practices both at the school and national level clearly communicates the primary purpose of the school in recognising and nurturing a culture of academic excellence, encouraging students to strive for their best in their educational journey. That is, glorifying exam results signals how schools prioritise the quantification of academic excellence more significantly than other forms of student achievements. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Without limiting to private schools, what is surprising is that, nowadays even government schools showcase exam accomplishments on public platforms – eyeing to elevate their positive image and draw admission of high-calibre students. However, what we fail to realise is that, this practice perpetuates a focus on highlighting only high-performing schools and neglecting the need to support the low-performing schools that are knowingly disadvantaged due to inequitable educational resources. When school reputations surge based on exam performances, it becomes a significant factor for parents and students to perceive this achievement as tangible evidence of the school’s potential to foster academic success. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b>Why it might NOT be a good practice to glorify exam results? </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">My intention here is not to argue against the idea of glorifying student’s exam results in the public domain. As stated earlier, there are always two sides to consider. For example, on the one hand, we claim to promote an inclusive and more holistic approach in student assessments, while on the other hand, we ritualise practices that impose limitations in appreciating diverse forms of intelligence and learning styles. And in the case of glorifying exam results publicly across various platforms, I believe the drawbacks might outweigh the commonly perceived benefits. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I share these opinions drawing from my personal experiences and supplement them briefly with concepts from sociological theories that are relevant to the present phenomenon. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">So, why it might <i>not</i> be a good practice to celebrate exam results publicly? <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">To begin with, even if we do not explicitly mention it, too much hype and glorification of academic performances of a few high achievers can be seen as endorsing the practice of labelling and stereotyping a broader section of students. Notwithstanding that our world is already saturated with categorisations, deliberately publicising the academic accomplishment of the few results in imposing additional societal judgment and classification of students, overlooking the varied spectrum of human potential and intelligence. Consequently, this practice may cultivate a sense of failure or inadequacy among those who, for some reasons, do not perform well. On the other hand, over-emphasising top-performers could also subject them to an unwarranted pressure to consistently maintain or surpass their high grades.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Goffman’s (1959) idea of <i>Social Self</i> in his work, The Presentation of the Self in Everyday Life becomes highly relevant. Erving Goffman introduced the concept of dramaturgy by comparing social interactions to a theoretical performance, where individuals play various roles in different social settings and engage in <i>impression</i> <i>management</i> to present a desired image. In impression management, individuals strategically shape their public image to influence how others perceive them by consciously aligning with the social norms and expectations. He uses the terms, <i>frontstage</i> and <i>backstage</i>. The front stage is where individuals show manipulated behaviour (<i>impressions</i>) to conform to social norms and expectations. The backstage is where individuals are more authentic, revealing behaviour that align with their true self. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I draw connections between Goffman’s (1959) social self and real-life situations happening in our schools with high-and low achievers. On the front stage, high-achievers feels pressurised to project positive and high-achieving image as the academic finest. They use impression management by showing active class participation and presenting the image of diligence, resilience, and success. On the backstage, they reflect on the expectations imposed by others (e.g., school, parents, community) and understand how they hide from others to safeguard their front stage image despite any moments of vulnerability or stress. Conversely, low achievers may encounter social challenges on the front stage. Consequently, to gain social acceptance, they employ impression management by using strategies to downplay or mask their challenges and seek alternatives such as by highlighting that they are good at (e.g., non-academic strengths).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">Humans are inherently emotional beings. That is, emotions play significant role in shaping our thoughts, behaviour, and interpersonal relationships – influencing overall aspects of our nature and existence. Sociologists such as Charles </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">Cooley (1922) in his work </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">Human Nature and the Social Order </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">state that emotions arise from both inner and outer human life when he asserts:</span><span style="line-height: 28px;"> “we live in the minds of others without knowing it” (p. 208). Illustrated by his notion of <i>looking glass-self</i>, Cooley </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">describe how one’s self or social identity is influenced by how one appears to others: “Each to each a looking-glass reflects the other that doth pass” (p. 184). Cooley also indicates that both self and social processes influence crucial </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">self-feeling emotions </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">(e.g., pride and shame) </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">as they are “the mainspring of endeavour and a chief interest of the imagination throughout life” (Cooley, 1922, p. 208). </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">Sociologists argue that emotions such as <i>shame</i> and the opposite, <i>pride</i>, manifest in academic learning, even though they may not be overtly visible </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">(Holodynski & Kronast, 2009)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">. In our context, dominantly influenced by the Buddhist precepts, emotions are regarded as painful because they cause suffering </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">(Khyentse, 2007)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"> and therefore they are rarely or <i>not</i> openly expressed. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">In Scheff’s </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">(1990, 1997)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"> social bond theory, he considers that shame </span><span style="line-height: 28px;">is social emotion that results from observing one’s actions while looking at oneself through the eyes of others</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">. That is, shame is a signal that indicates one feeling rejected and unaccepted in the way that we are. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">Similarly, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">Collins </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">(2004)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"> states that shame is felt by the individual when they are depleted by the group. Thus, when we create a perception of elitism within the school community by exclusively valuing academic top performers, it may impose shame, embarrassment, and anger for low achievers, and potentially diminish their sense of worth. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">Retzinger (1991) outlines several indicators of shame and anger, encompassing both verbal and paralinguistic cues. Verbal markers consists of expressions such as alienation, withdrawal, inhibition, disconnection, and defensiveness. Paralinguistic markers involve vocal withdrawal, hesitation, silence, and self-interruption. However, as society suppresses shame, it leads to a collective denial and silence, which reduces the visibility of shame in nearly every social context (Scheff, 2000). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Considering these theoretical perspectives, perhaps, schools must strive to manifest as a dynamic educational space, offering adolescence opportunities for intellectual growth and development, even if it is through experimentation and error. It is crucial to recognise schools as nurturing environment for learning rather than as <i>pressure cauldron</i> by imposing undue stress on young minds during their formative age through competition. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">We must accept that all these calibrations – success or failure, good or bad, and high or low are merely a subjective human interpretations within the intricate tapestry of life, which are always questionable. The undeniable truth is, <b>talent does not discriminate, people do</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b>Scope for Research </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">For those enthusiastic in investigating students’ perspectives on the traditions of glorifying their academic results in public domains, specifically on social media, research could involve both high achieving students and those who could not fare to well. Given the scarcity of sociological theories originating from Eastern traditions, it is valuable to investigate the suitability of Western theories in our context. The findings can be offered as a novel contribution to the research in education and assessment scholarship by generating conforming and disconfirming evidences. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><b style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: 36pt;"><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><b style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><b style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">References: </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="EndNoteBibliography" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;">Holodynski, M., & Kronast, S. (2009). Shame and pride: Invisible emotions in classroom research. In B.Ro ̈ttger-Ro ̈ssler & H. J. Markowitsch (Eds.), <i>Emotions as bio-cultural processes</i> (pp. 371-394). Springer. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-09546-2_17" style="color: #954f72;">https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-09546-2_17</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="EndNoteBibliography" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;">Khyentse, D. J. (2007). <i>What makes you not a buddhist</i>. Shambhala Publications. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="EndNoteBibliography" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;">Retzinger, S. M. (1991). Shame, anger, and conflict: Case study of emotional violence.<i> Journal of Family Violence</i>,<i> 6</i>(1), 37-59. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="EndNoteBibliography" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;">Scheff, T. (1990). <i>Microsociology: Discourse, emotion, and social structure</i>. The University of Chicago Press. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="EndNoteBibliography" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;">Scheff, T. (1997). <i>Emotions, the social bond, and human reality</i>. Cambridge University Press. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span></p><p class="EndNoteBibliography" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;">Scheff, T. (2000). Shame and the social bond: A sociological theory. <i>Sociological Theory</i>,<i> 18</i>(1), 84-99. </span></span></p>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-3601219800210733022023-10-16T04:13:00.008-07:002023-10-16T04:17:00.412-07:00In Keeping the Online Community Spirit <p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I penned this letter to the JKT’s Admin after a distressing post by a member, aiming solely to uphold the JKT’s spirit nurtured through this online community.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6Imi5NYJK4PlxSu_q4KkBsTbPkO_Y3vqar811kqWD-9AZOQMKccETESWaGC_oucujWyx5OUPeVxHaYymmwvpfX8uppetoAueIDQDu4-clLDaqlMgSYB08guIzdKgJW4Ga_4a3O4yZvfz8ECB_8ax3ryJR8z-Voy5qFlwJtdiR0xr59vJRIowuQ5zY-M/s1718/Screenshot%202023-10-16%20at%2021.09.47.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="1718" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6Imi5NYJK4PlxSu_q4KkBsTbPkO_Y3vqar811kqWD-9AZOQMKccETESWaGC_oucujWyx5OUPeVxHaYymmwvpfX8uppetoAueIDQDu4-clLDaqlMgSYB08guIzdKgJW4Ga_4a3O4yZvfz8ECB_8ax3ryJR8z-Voy5qFlwJtdiR0xr59vJRIowuQ5zY-M/w640-h358/Screenshot%202023-10-16%20at%2021.09.47.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><b><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">October 16, 2023<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Administrator<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><b>Jangsem Kidu Tshogpa (JKT) </b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Dear Sir, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I am reaching out to you as a concerned member of our Jangsem Kidu Tshogpa [JKT], which has proven to be an invaluable forum for engaging in conversations related to the annual Bazaguru Dungdrup festivities held in our village. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">To start, I wish to extend my gratitude for your diligent management of this community and for your efforts in nurturing a sense of togetherness among its members.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">However, I regret that I have to address a matter of growing concern that has recently emerged within our group. Historically, our discussions have revolved around the coordination of the Bazaguru Dungdrup, with a focus on nurturing unity, a shared sense of community, and strong bonds among members.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Regrettably, it has come to our collective attention that certain members have been posting content entirely unrelated to the overarching vision of JKT. This inappropriate content encompasses images, videos, and various materials that are causing significant disturbances among our members.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">One particularly disheartening incident involved the sharing of a video featuring an individual from a neighbouring village who had recently passed away due to his unfortunate health condition. This video not only distressed the family of the deceased but also equally affected the emotions of relatives, including myself, who were closely connected to the departed soul.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Honourable Admin, I welcome any corrections if my understanding is mistaken. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">My consistent belief has been that such content does not align with the spirit and values of our group. This perspective is particularly pertinent given that the central focus of JKT is to engage in discussions related to the annual Bazaguru Dungdrup, the sole local religious festival that has been instrumental in nurturing a profound sense of community – a feat we have successfully achieved thus far. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Honourable Admin, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I firmly belief that you hold a crucial role in overseeing the group’s activities, enforcing group rules and guidelines, and moderate the content posted within the group. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">If this group has to prosper to achieve its intended objectives, hereafter, I kindly request that you take the following steps to address this issue:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Immediate Deletion and Notification<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Any materials not related to the Bazaguru Dungdrup should be promptly deleted, and the person responsible for posting such content should be notified of its irrelevance to JKT’s purpose.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><b>Removal of Disruptive Content</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Any content that has the potential to cause division or disconnect within our community should be removed without delay. It is essential to preserve the unity and positive atmosphere of the JKT.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Maintaining Order<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">As the admin, you play a pivotal role in ensuring that the JKT remains a focused and productive space for noble discussions. Please remind members of the JKT’s guidelines and encourage them to adhere to the group’s intended purpose.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Let us bear in mind the collective wisdom of our educated community and harness the power of our knowledge for the greater good. As educated individuals, we must strive to demonstrate our competency in distinguishing between right and wrong, the moral and the immoral, and the healthy from the harmful. In solidarity, let us ardently endeavor to uphold these values we have acquired, directing our efforts towards the realization of the tightly woven, harmonious community we all aspire to be an integral part of.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Honourable Admin, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I trust in your ability to address this matter effectively, and I appreciate your understanding of my concerns. I thank you for your attention to this matter. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I look forward to seeing this group regain its focus on Bazaguru Dungdrup and the unity they represent.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><b>Dumcho Wangdi</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">JKT Member</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-72628686532260109912022-12-26T22:07:00.032-08:002023-09-09T15:38:32.220-07:00Regular Irregularities <p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">November 15, 2016</span></b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">: I visited </span><a href="https://www.yhss.edu.bt/" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px;">Yangchenphug Higher Secondary School (YHSS)</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px;"> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">as a Visiting Examiner (VE) for the </span><a href="https://www.bcsea.bt/" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px;">Board Examination Secondary Physics (Year 12)</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"> Practical Examination officially for 3 days. I evaluated 123 science students’ (Physics) project entries on the first day. The physics practical exam was administered over the course of the final 2 days. To prevent questions from being tampered with or declassified, schools across the nation start and end the practical examinations on the same day. However, due to the large class sizes at YHSS, we commenced the practical tests for the first cohort of students at 5:30 AM in the cold winter morning to strictly end it uniformly with other schools. I do not recollect precisely when I departed for home after the first day’s tests which wrapped up at 7:30 PM.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; line-height: 28px;">Although the modalities of administering the practical exams emerge to have been customised recently, at the time I served as VE, grade 12 science students were primarily oriented to the same set of questions. For this reason, the first cohorts who completed the practical exam in the morning were required to remain segregated inside the allocated room until the other fellow students complete the test. VEs are mandated to function as watchmen to keep the students confined to the closed-off room. VEs must even accompany students visiting the restroom to limit students' communication with the acquaintance they encounter on their way to the restroom and thereby defend against the accidental or intentional release of the exam questions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">I discharged my duties as VE in accordance with the obligations declared in the </span><a href="https://www.bcsea.bt/downloads/forms/Letter%20of%20Undertaking%20-%20Examinations%20conducting%20officials.pdf" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px;">Letter of Undertaking</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"> from the </span><a href="https://www.bcsea.bt/" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px;">Bhutan Council for School Examinations and Assessment (BCSEA).</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px;"> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">On day 5, I claimed my Daily Allowance and Travel Claims (TA/DA) as permissible for all other civil servants for 5 days [3 days for practical examination duty, 1 day for travel to the examination site (YHSS), and another 1 day for return journey]. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">A few months later in the school, I was notified that I have claimed an additional amount of Nu. 500 when tasked as VE during the board practical examinations. According to the </span><a href="https://www.bcsea.bt/vision-mission" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px;">BCSEA office,</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">under the new financial regulations, a person is <i>only</i> entitled to a half-day allowance for the return trip to working stations that are lesser than 70 kilometres away. This means that from the entitled daily allowance of Nu.1000 per day, I need to refund Nu. 500. This also suggests that the previously established official 70-kilometre distance between </span><a href="http://www.wangduephodrang.gov.bt/" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">Wangdue</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"> (my place) and Thimphu (Test centre), has abruptly been shortened based on the measurements provided by the BCSEA.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">A lengthy list which in the view of the BCSEA office has violated the financial regulations by claiming additional allowances of Nu. 500 has already been forwarded to the respective District Education Office. My name was publicly declared by the school administration on the school social networking platform, </span><a href="https://www.wechat.com/" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px;">WeChat</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">, pronouncing the same issue. There were also some whirlpools of unconfirmed cautions and whispers circulating around that, certain punitive administrative prosecutions may follow for those who fail to refund the amount promptly. <span style="color: #0432ff;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; line-height: 28px;">I did not react to the notification instantaneously. This is because, I can recall with sufficient clarity that over the course of my last 12 years of employment, I have NEVER been ensnared in any behaviours that have culminated into a drama involving financial irregularities against my name. But learning that I have to refund Nu. 500 from the entitled allowance, I was dumbfounded and thus, revisited the distance between Wangdue and Thimphu on the financial map. The map reads 70 kilometres obviously. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; line-height: 28px;">I quickly reimbursed the money that same day, choosing not to debate about the distance. As an emotionally sensitive individual, I remember being humiliated even as a small child when my name was announced in the face of others for something I had not done or because something I had done was not in violation of the law. For example, I had a horrendous psychological trauma which I still cannot forget and forgive when the principal of the school terminated me because of another student’s offence (coming soon).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; line-height: 28px;">But above all else, whenever there are FI, especially relating to the state money, as a citizen, I feel duty-bound to do everything to stop anyone profiteering through manipulation, mishandling, or fraud, so that we can use the funds for others, higher, and nobler causes. Even though I was aware that I had not claimed more than what I was legally entitled to, I nonetheless reimbursed the money as instructed by the BCSEA office. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; line-height: 28px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://www.bbs.bt/news/?p=178524&fbclid=IwAR2qsJG3ufhaLWJNc1yGjCOTLJNBy9lYwym7ncNIJzvLSlJK_DDAw2D_WOg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">I write this opinion after getting disturbed by repeated news of FI</a>.</span> Before I turn to discuss the FI reported by the Royal Audit Authority (RAA), at the outset, I begin by discussing some information associated with FI. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIW67pPnZOrnXAjkBH8Lc40MD3uB_2d1b2giVY8o_fJEMuX2emmGZBbPqYdpbgDfE8QEYq8Sl49VI10bRQl1GHssKd1_FpBhWNyhWzNO42AEA47GatMt0puUd5nwy1URJb4rXbTyV6SGgbBjgD-t8jQIfsmIdqEUW1uKKgxr46F_rS7cLs-i7MNrO/s2116/Screenshot%202022-12-27%20at%2010.50.17%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="2116" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIW67pPnZOrnXAjkBH8Lc40MD3uB_2d1b2giVY8o_fJEMuX2emmGZBbPqYdpbgDfE8QEYq8Sl49VI10bRQl1GHssKd1_FpBhWNyhWzNO42AEA47GatMt0puUd5nwy1URJb4rXbTyV6SGgbBjgD-t8jQIfsmIdqEUW1uKKgxr46F_rS7cLs-i7MNrO/w400-h208/Screenshot%202022-12-27%20at%2010.50.17%20AM.png" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Image courtesy: Click <a href="https://www.bhutanaudit.gov.bt/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/5.-AAR-2021-2022-Vol-I_English.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LINK</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b>What is Financial Irregularities (FI)? </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: 36pt;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">Whether we know it or not, we have heard about it periodically – from the </span><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/?s=irregularities+" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">mainstream media</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"> or the annual publication of the </span><a href="https://www.bhutanaudit.gov.bt/audit-reports/" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px;">Royal Audit Authority (RAA).</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"> In almost </span><a href="https://thebhutanese.bt/?s=irregularities" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px;">every issue of their publication, mainstream media report snippets of stories</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px;"> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">associated with the FI. The </span><a href="https://www.bhutanaudit.gov.bt/" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px;">RAA as the supreme audit institution</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px;"> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">of the Kingdom yearly takes this task to publish reports like the annual <i>lochoe </i>(annual religious event) which is calendared in their yearbook episode. Ironically, nobody seems to bother about these reports. Not even those avid social media icons with huge followers or public figures who are otherwise so vocal in advertising commercial merchandise when they are paid a fortune. Consequently, the FI phenomenon in our context has now easily transformed into regular irregularities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Under a broad conception, FI includes intentional false statements or omission of data pertaining to financial operations including but not limited to: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 72pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">Embezzlement<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 72pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">Fraud <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 72pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">Falsifying documents/records <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 72pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #202124; line-height: 28px;">M</span><span style="color: #202124; line-height: 28px;">is</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #202124; line-height: 28px;">management of funds </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #202124; line-height: 28px;"><span> </span></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 72pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #444444; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #202124; line-height: 28px;">M</span><span style="color: #202124; line-height: 28px;">isappropriations of assets, </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 28px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 72pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #444444; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #202124; line-height: 28px;">F</span><span style="color: #202124; line-height: 28px;">alsification of records or </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 28px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 72pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #444444; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #202124; line-height: 28px;">N</span><span style="color: #202124; line-height: 28px;">oncompliance with laws or regulations<span style="background-color: white;">.</span></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 28px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 72pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #444444; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; line-height: 28px;">Corruption (such as giving bribes, bid riggings)</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 28px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 72pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 28px;"><o:p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b>Why does FI occur? </b></span><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Money is the root of all evil they say. The obsessive desire that individuals have for money is what makes it the source of all evil. More significantly, the fact that money is deployed as a universal tool to do everything in this world only serves to compound the situation by making money the root of all evil. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">But what can be done without having money these days? </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Money is not everything, we are frequently told. But I always believe that these are the thoughts of people who have amassed enough wealth. As a person who lived a life without even having a bare minimum, I do not buy such idiocy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">For instance, at the <i>international</i> level, money is heavily employed as a means for a nation to dictate and demonstrate dominance, authority, and global super-power. At the <i>government</i> level, politics function only when there is abundant money. At the <i>individual</i> level, we engage with money for absolutely everything.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">But do these reasons stated above cause FI? Maybe or may not. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Whenever I hear of FI, the following things spring into my mind: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times;">Human Greed</span></i><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 36pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Some people have unquenchable desires and longings. They do not think twice about engaging in criminal activity and breaking the law to get filthy rich and have it all for themselves, even at the expense of the national coffer.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><o:p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times;">Opportunity to Access </span></i><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 36pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">People take advantage of the opportunity to do anything they like when they have access to public funds. They can fiddle with the calculations, bribe someone, embezzle money, or engage in corrupt practices.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 36pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><o:p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times;">Inefficient System</span></i><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 36pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">The fact that we always hear about FI signals the ineffectiveness of our check and balance system. It is not surprising that we frequently witness the same individuals and institutions indulging in FI because of the fragile system. These people are already informed of the system’s vulnerabilities, which are neither remedied nor considered to be addressed despite frequent FI incidents.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 36pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><o:p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times;">Toothless Laws </span></i><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 36pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">We often lack robust legal action against FI culprits. Most of the time, perpetrators are given administrative action as punitive sanctions. Administrative action means transferring the wrongdoers to a new place (so-called remote posting). New places are locations with all the contemporary amenities in place. Because they receive the same monthly income with less work and responsibility, lawbreakers who are relocated to remote areas are often contented, comfortable and convenient. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 36pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><o:p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b>Who is involved in FI? </b></span><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Nobody needs a subtitle to decipher this question. Based on the evidence of mainstream media reports, FI is connected to those in positions of authority, have access to public funds, and deal with money at work. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><o:p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b>Why is FI a Big Concern for Bhutan? </b></span><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">Although we emphasise on </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-international-day-of-happiness.html" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px;">Gross National Happiness (GNH)</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"> over Gross Domestic Product (GDP), GDP is still an important constituent of GNH. Our economy is still at an embryonic stage, which requires abundant efforts to keep it emerging and evolving. When there is FI, our emerging economy will be corrupted and will be diseased to function efficiently.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">We are a donor-recipient nation where most of the developmental activities are completed through bilateral aid or loaned capital. We should not be complacent to witness this gamble of financial illegitimacy contaminate and hurt our delicate economy. <span> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">At the societal level, the recurrent incidences of FI will deteriorate the noble foundations of <i style="color: black; font-style: normal;">harmony</i>, and <i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">tha-damtsig</span></i><i style="color: black; font-style: normal;"> </i>(commitment/trust to the relationship)<i style="color: black;">. </i>If FI is not nibbed in the bud, it risks the potential in creating an unequal and illegal wealth distribution, causing disharmony and distrust in society. That’s where we will keep seeing </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px;">more people having plenty of money to support three to four generations of their families, while others even lack a basic roof to keep them safe from the heat and cold. That’s how the bridge between haves and have-nots will only get widened. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-style: normal; line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Curbing FI<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I am not an economist or financial expert. But I certainly feel that for a very small nation like ours, we can fix everything. Although FI cannot be eliminated, there are mechanisms to mitigate it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">Annually </span><a href="https://www.bhutanaudit.gov.bt/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/5.-AAR-2021-2022-Vol-I_English.pdf" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px;">RMA publishes the findings regarding the FI</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">. It is now time that they remedy the identified vulnerabilities in our system. When regular FI are reported annually like an Olympics event, at times, we can only sense that we are already in auto-pilot mode. FI has been the elephant in the room. Some people and organisations have already earned a permanent seat in this financial Olympic event due to their ritualistic engagement.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">Curbing </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">FI is a collective responsibility. It is time to hold people accountable if they are engaged in any FI-related practices. It is time to introduce zero tolerance into action. It is time to revamp our system and make it more robust, transparent, and dynamic.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; line-height: 28px;"><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
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</style></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">At the individual level, it is time that we <i>school our attitude</i>. For instance, I reimbursed the money despite being aware that I had not claimed any more money than what was legally entitled. I refunded the cash immediately, even though I understood the cashier was to blame in the first place. I am mindful that w</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">orking with ethics, professionalism, high morals, and integrity are key ingredients to any human behaviour. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWwcJ7fuIGUgR-iBuIgixXPsPtFSv38ecEFsyjXuohxL2L_pjGEbyfGdhklZ6auMPI_gWLzDs02uML1ehOPMfYmxicMwHO2kcEDpyWJpLltQcIP9W73fPeAVrHIIJOnp7BLIK-trmFh6VEIaGMef7tmTOh9p_uYd6j6bhcLFhpRVyZZNBftiQChxTW/s2008/1.Search%20result.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1430" data-original-width="2008" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWwcJ7fuIGUgR-iBuIgixXPsPtFSv38ecEFsyjXuohxL2L_pjGEbyfGdhklZ6auMPI_gWLzDs02uML1ehOPMfYmxicMwHO2kcEDpyWJpLltQcIP9W73fPeAVrHIIJOnp7BLIK-trmFh6VEIaGMef7tmTOh9p_uYd6j6bhcLFhpRVyZZNBftiQChxTW/w640-h456/1.Search%20result.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1TG0Xsqr4bf_U-QzqxFilcW4HnSIU0o0ZdKksIRA6g9h6mtZDaO4oz9jPtPqV3dDKHXGUX1WYjMat2rvY4eQvcNPRYKZ-hz_a66Wohmrg3N8eM2DcziBJ6S85Psw6IAjbmZiRVVrXYQ33JSJk0HyiH1jqxYd0f2OKkx6yuBt5uW5tCgGBWkiRRdUj/s1822/Screen%20Shot%202020-07-28%20at%2010.07.07%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1518" data-original-width="1822" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1TG0Xsqr4bf_U-QzqxFilcW4HnSIU0o0ZdKksIRA6g9h6mtZDaO4oz9jPtPqV3dDKHXGUX1WYjMat2rvY4eQvcNPRYKZ-hz_a66Wohmrg3N8eM2DcziBJ6S85Psw6IAjbmZiRVVrXYQ33JSJk0HyiH1jqxYd0f2OKkx6yuBt5uW5tCgGBWkiRRdUj/w640-h534/Screen%20Shot%202020-07-28%20at%2010.07.07%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></p>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-68526064495661567392022-12-04T23:09:00.014-08:002022-12-19T04:31:38.195-08:00Data Democratisation <p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px; text-indent: 36pt;">I was fortunate to have an audience with His Majesty the King after I completed the </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2018/05/a-different-crowning-achievement.html" style="color: #954f72; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px;">Young Professional Leadership Program (YPLP-6)</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px; text-indent: 36pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px; text-indent: 36pt;">from the </span><a href="https://www.rigss.bt/w/page/11" style="color: #954f72; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px;">Royal Institute for Governance and Strategic Studies (RIGSS),</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px; text-indent: 36pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px; text-indent: 36pt;">Phuentsholing, Bhutan in 2018.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span style="text-indent: 36pt;">RIGSS is a premiere institute founded by His Majesty the King in 2013 to promote excellence in leadership, governance, and strategic studies. His Majesty the King places a paramount significance by granting an audience to all the cohorts at the end of their graduation.</span><span style="text-indent: 36pt;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">One of the key concerns articulated during His Majesty’s address was regarding <i>Data Democratisation</i> – making information accessible for all the people. </span><span class="s8"><span style="line-height: 28px;">I draw my perspectives in praise of</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="line-height: 28px;"> </span></span><span class="s8"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">His Majesty’s wisdom that offers profound relevance about data democratisation in operationalising our system – precisely <i>education</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span class="s8"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">As a former classroom teacher, I understand the importance of fully installed and operational data democratisation in our education system. Annually or bi-annually or sometimes even more frequently than that, teachers submit student-related information to the School Management, who then forward it to the District Education Office and subsequently to the head office in the Ministry of Education. Teachers are asked to submit the same data to the same office several times, yet it is not accessible when needed for a variety of reasons.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b>What is Data Democratisation? </b></span><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">Data democrati</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">s</span><span style="line-height: 28px;">ation<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>is </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">the process by which an </span><span style="line-height: 28px;">organi</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">s</span><span style="line-height: 28px;">ation makes data accessible to all </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">people (e.g., </span><span style="line-height: 28px;">employees</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">, </span><span style="line-height: 28px;">stakeholders</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">). Briefly, data </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #002b40; line-height: 28px;">is any piece of information that can include a range of </span><span style="color: #002b40; line-height: 28px;">simple (</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #002b40; line-height: 28px;">e.g., working email address; employee details; precise location of office) to </span><span style="color: #002b40; line-height: 28px;">complex (</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #002b40; line-height: 28px;">e.g., records of the training attended by the all the </span><span style="color: #002b40; line-height: 28px;">employees </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #002b40; line-height: 28px;">of the organisation) materials that we can gather regarding the institutions, organisations, or associations. Since data is </span><span style="color: #002b40; line-height: 28px;">ubiquitous</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #002b40; line-height: 28px;">, at its core, data democratisation is all about making “access to data”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #002b40; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Giving access to data is equivalent to granting privilege for everyone the possibility to obtain the information. In this sense, data democratisation embodies the core of democracy by facilitating access to information. Data democratisation in short can be seen as a type of data democracy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #002b40; line-height: 28px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1I4pOSlh1vo5pluS4YOXE8RrfS0Bq14d_qy0yjUx0cX4WmKm1VeF3idBosAEel8L4rVa-6XfXgBB0u3Yvn4Q-44hu4hCBDSCV_RPqo_ZoOHYUqwZkPH92zd_KYHp_e2coXFHQNRJiYgfQJnwm2PpdboXNPqzTLI-0hhlvAydH9U6l6hGJEV0OIPiF/s1630/Screenshot%202022-11-19%20at%204.07.12%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="1630" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1I4pOSlh1vo5pluS4YOXE8RrfS0Bq14d_qy0yjUx0cX4WmKm1VeF3idBosAEel8L4rVa-6XfXgBB0u3Yvn4Q-44hu4hCBDSCV_RPqo_ZoOHYUqwZkPH92zd_KYHp_e2coXFHQNRJiYgfQJnwm2PpdboXNPqzTLI-0hhlvAydH9U6l6hGJEV0OIPiF/w640-h430/Screenshot%202022-11-19%20at%204.07.12%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy: Prime Minister's Office - PMO, Bhutan</td></tr></tbody></table><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #002b40; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #002b40;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b>Why Data Democratisation? </b></span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"> </span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">With changing times and emergent technologies, we must evolve how we process things. There is virtually no time for anyone to go through a tedious process to collect small pieces of information that may be otherwise secured by sitting in a given area. For example, it is inconvenient for the citizens of Eastern Bhutan to travel to Thimphu, the capital city, to acquire specific data and process everything that may be obtained from their own stations. Data democratisation is thus an efficient means of saving money and time for those in need by making the work more convenient and quicker to execute – simply by giving access to the data. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">When everyone has access to data, no gatekeepers who otherwise create barriers at the data’s access point are required. For example, when we visit the district education office, Administrative Assistants who work under education officials do not have the autonomy to offer access to some of our personal records since the password, key, or <b>internal</b><i> </i>rules do not allow it. Data democratisation has the potential to break that impasse by allowing anybody, at any time, to access data with no restrictions. </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #333333; line-height: 28px;">Empowering data to employees boosts the sense of engagement and ownership of taking their roles more accountable. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #565656; line-height: 28px;">Data access is crucial for facilitating digital transformation and increasing efficiency. When data is open and accessible, it can improve transparency. Transparency promotes trust and confidence. </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #565656; line-height: 28px;">These days, with </span><span style="color: #565656; line-height: 28px;">mobile devices in everyone</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #565656; line-height: 28px;">’</span><span style="color: #565656; line-height: 28px;">s hands, data democratisation will encourage society to become more data-informed and make data-driven decisions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #565656; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><b>But, What About Sensitive Data? </b></span><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #002b40; line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #002b40; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Although data democratisation is inherently good, it does present several issues regarding data ethics, data breaches, and accountability. Some data may contain legal implications that make it unlawful to be open and transparent. In such a situation, we must learn how to share data ethically. There must be a system of checks and balances to make the data accessible - both to the provider and the recipient. Otherwise, data democratisation would frequently be tarnished by limitations such as potential data misuse or data security concerns (e.g., private or classified documents).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #002b40; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">To begin with, it is not even reasonable to make sensitive material (e.g., data related to legal operations or that may entail risks to national sovereignty) publicly available and online. However, it would be helpful to provide a remark or procedures for obtaining those data or information. Another approach is to provide some working references/links to the relevant offices' websites or contact information. People in desperate need can pick that option and receive the data they require.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #002b40; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b>How to Improve Data Democratisation? </b></span><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #001325; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Any organization’s growth trajectory has a substantial impact on the rate at which data democratisation unfolds. I keep emphasising that let alone data democratisation, everything is achievable for a tiny nation like ours, with fewer people and manageable data.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #001325; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">We must overhaul the current dynamics of running offices and organisations that are mostly siloed and fragmented. Practically STOP operating in silos in the first place. Reduce the cumbersome bureaucratic process we have to undergo in order to avail any public service. When it comes to working, most institutions have their own territories. Some offices are so compartmentalised that bosses cannot be reached to obtain data, even if the supervisor/head shares the same building. Our offices that deal with similar data need to collaborate and undertake some initiatives to increase data availability. For example, the police traffic division can work with the RSTA to provide access to driving information at any time, unless there are certain legal constraints.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #001325; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">We boast about going electronic and digital to deliver public services, but we do not have a systematic process or a credible source to access the data. In the case of education, for example, let alone our schools, some important offices under the Ministry’s head office do not have functional and up-to-date websites that offer access to critical data. Our addresses are often out of date, residences are not visibly numbered, and roads connecting to some offices are not adequately signposted. All these parameters contribute to data democratisation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #001325; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">We hear about lavishly financed conferences/seminars/meetings being held in some of the country's most expensive resorts to address some of the nation's pressing issues. However, the information that is relevant to some of these meetings appears undocumented and inaccessible. Most of the information produced is in the form of hard copies stored in the managers’ offices for auditing or dust collection. We rarely consider the long-term usage and references of data.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #001325; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">This dilemma will be quite familiar if we are academic scholars. Other than certain social media posts in which people mention the title of the workshop/course/training and upload images of themselves eating, drinking, or trekking, it is unusually difficult to research relevant literature in our context that is formally documented and archived. Consequently, from an academic standpoint, I argue that the lake of our literature is ridiculously insignificant and awfully dehydrated.</span></span><span style="color: #002b40; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-51788072643651194212022-11-26T15:24:00.070-08:002023-07-25T16:32:43.992-07:00TANSTAAFL <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 37.333332px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Nothing in life is truly free, and the phrase <b><i>There ain't no such thing as a free lunch</i></b> – often abbreviated as TANSTAAFL – emphasises this idea. Even things that appear to be <i>free</i> have a price.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 37.333332px;">In economics, TANSTAAFL is largely deciphered in the light of <i>opportunity costs</i>. Opportunity costs in lay language can be understood in a context where every decision we make, there is another alternative which is not considered but would have also produced some value or usefulness. </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 37.333332px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 37.333332px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">The reach and scope of TANSTAAFL’s influences are infinite. Even in our daily life, the idea of TANSTAAFL can play a key role in making informed choices by putting into account both direct and indirect costs. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 37.333332px;">I connect the idea of TANSTAAFL with the recent public outcry generated by the news of charging </span><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/nu-10-user-fee-to-be-charged-at-pedestrian-terminal-from-november/" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 37.333332px;">Nu 10 per person for entering and exiting the pedestrian terminal</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 37.333332px;">. While some citizens endorsed the idea, others remain opposed to being obliged to pay the user fee. There is also a faction of people who derided such government undertakings in social media. However, the good thing is that the people who transit through the pedestrian terminal desire a system that handles user fees in a transparent approach. Currently, </span><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/need-to-ensure-fee-collection-is-put-to-good-use/" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 37.333332px;">there is no receipt of payment being done</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 37.333332px;">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 37.333332px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">This is one of the potential reasons why, even after operating the system of levying the user fee, we can still hear the undying public outrage loudly. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/nu-10-user-fee-to-be-charged-at-pedestrian-terminal-from-november/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1712" data-original-width="2090" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipB5EquAOVsBoLpgSnrFOjjCtGGTJnmSrIuts8g-Ex8rMCgVSgI8IKdLC6BfJbLaQYI93WHfGbZfra9V9KdF88NS8whJCIaIQNIN2WekcGqJHxafcudoaZKVnjimAjQ4ICPrWNz5ENZ1gFNcul6oiCT9IUCOmGrFr1_Rm7ys_-aHQFrZW1sKYypMOS/w640-h524/Screenshot%202022-11-27%20at%209.43.05%20AM.png" width="640" /></span></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/nu-10-user-fee-to-be-charged-at-pedestrian-terminal-from-november/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pedestrian Terminal in Phuentsholing: Image Source Click the image</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b>Why Public Outcry</b></span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">We have been conditioned to receiving everything for <i>free </i>or at affordable prices from the government, which is one of the main triggers of the recent drama regarding the levying of user fees for using the pedestrian terminal. For instance, we already have free healthcare and education. Still, at one time, <a href="https://kuenselonline.com/upgrading-mmss-to-central-school-not-possible-pm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">there was a rush to convert schools in our locality to central schools</span></a> because, in central schools, everything was provided free by the government. Nobody, not even the affluent, powerful and financially capable, was ever reluctant or shy away from reaping the benefits and advantages when it comes to getting free from the government. We are still living with this tumour of mentality that prevents us from contributing even a small part of our effort, in this case, to use government-installed facilities for our own advantage. We feel the real pinch when we are paying for it out of our pockets. But on the other hand, we do not mind spending Nu 20 for 4 pieces of imported <i>doma</i> products or at worst, <a href="https://kuenselonline.com/land-price-in-thimphu-touch-nu-1-million-a-decimal-40-47-sqm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">one million for one decimal of land in Thimphu</span></a>. Who cares? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">The user fees paid for using the pedestrian terminal is only a nominal fee of Ngultrum 10. Although the recent public outcry is not exclusively about the amount of the user fee, it is about the installation of a transparent system that manages the money collected as a user fee. I concur with the individuals who have voiced this because they have every right to be concerned about how their hard-earned money is spent. <a href="https://kuenselonline.com/pedestrian-terminal-user-fee-welcome/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">According to the media</span></a>, people are least bothered to pay the user fee that is levied for the purpose of facility operation and sustenance. All that they desire is a regulated system that can methodically oversee the funds that are amassed from them. By raising awareness among the relevant stakeholders about the vulnerabilities and risks in the <a href="https://kuenselonline.com/need-to-ensure-fee-collection-is-put-to-good-use/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">current fee collection practice</span></a>, the general public is making a <i>useful noise</i>. Even if the money is not currently being mismanaged, it is extremely likely that the hands handling them may get dirtied. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">The recent outrage also serves as a litmus test for the relevant organisations and stakeholders to maintain the public's faith in their ability to acknowledge and welcome their constructive criticisms. The degree to which people are confident that this system will function as intended will depend on whether implementing agencies execute it in conformity with public favour or do away with it. Valuing the voice of the public can certainly influence initiating similar other initiatives because, in the end, it is public who will use the service.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b>Why Pedestrian Terminal? </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic that has offered us multiple valuable lessons on how to survive collectively as a nation. When borders were sealed, imports were banned, GDP plummeted low and reliable donors dwindled, but adverse situations loomed in the society, we eventually learned to seriously put an effort for our survival.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">We are gradually self-actualising that many things need to be in order and function systematically for a nation to survive. One critical challenge that faces Bhutan is a porous border that is increasingly posing a threat due to the rising number of smugglers. We heard adequate reports of people <a href="https://kuenselonline.com/four-of-12-arrested-for-smuggling-tobacco-quarantined/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">smuggling goods even during the lockdown period of COVID-19</span></a>. With the pedestrian terminal that can control the movement of people from one point, it will also serve to systematise things - although it might take some time and pose inconveniences in the beginning. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">With the pedestrian terminal, unlawful behaviours taking place across the borders can be kept at bay. Imported goods can be taxed fairly. Immigration laws can be applied more professionally and methodically.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Overall, a modest thing like the pedestrian terminal can be a useful strategy for securing economic and security independence for a small kingdom like ours that does not depend on and have a standing military to safeguard the sovereignty of the state. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b>Digital Payment</b></span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; text-indent: 36pt;"> </span><b style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; line-height: 42.666672px;"><o:p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #202124; line-height: 37.333332px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">The installation of the pedestrian terminal has been met with public praise. All we need to do is arrange the elements so that the system functions properly. The public’s prime concern is having a transparent system for collecting the user fee. One approach to do this is by installing a Digital Payment system. <span style="background-color: white;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 37.333332px;"><span style="color: #202124;">Although installing digital payment or Electronic Payment Systems (EPS) may come with a price, they are revolutionary in the way they make consumers’ life more convenient and comfortable. </span><span><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/nu-10-user-fee-to-be-charged-at-pedestrian-terminal-from-november/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">EPS need not require the consumers to bring the exact amount as announced</span></a> </span></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #202124; line-height: 37.333332px;">because it accepts even smaller amounts or denominations. Cash can be electronically transferred in a snap at the same spot. This will lessen the </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #202124; line-height: 37.333332px;">volume of people that queue to use the service and shorten their waiting time. Ultimately, there can be only a sizable crowd at the terminal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #202124; line-height: 37.333332px;">With EPS, the </span><span style="color: #202124; line-height: 37.333332px;">payment </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #202124; line-height: 37.333332px;">receipt can be generated automatically – which can be used as a ticket for both travellers and people on duty to assess user activity. EPS is robust and secure because people do not need to handle cash. The cash can be directly transferred to a specific account maintained by the government. When the world is going cashless, it is reasonable for us to dream of having a facility that can transmit money electronically<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #202124; line-height: 37.333332px;">Even if the installation of the EPS is expensive, it is crucial for the government to begin investing in it. Phuentsholing is the largest commercial hub in Bhutan, and more than thousands of people transact through the gate. More people moving also mean that fund generation is possible and the investment made to purchase the machine can be easily acquired besides sustaining the facilities. Other relevant measures to enable quick electronic money transfers will ensue when the government operationalises such programmes. For instance, the banks in the country can implement to offer such service to enable electronic payments by debit, credit, or any other charge cards. The present payment system through </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 37.333332px;"><a href="https://www.bob.bt/personal-banking/bank-from-home-digital-banking/mbob/" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;">mBoB (Bank of Bhutan),</span></a><span style="color: #0432ff;"> </span><a href="https://www.bnb.bt/bnb-mpay/" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;">MPay (Bhutan National Bank),</span></a><span style="color: #0432ff;"> </span><span><a href="https://www.tbankltd.com/tpayremit"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">TPay (Tashi Bank)</span></a><a href="https://www.tbankltd.com/tpayremit" style="color: #954f72;">,</a><span style="color: #954f72;"> </span></span><a href="https://bdb.bt/" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;">BDBL</span></a><span style="color: #0432ff;">, </span></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 37.333332px;">and</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 37.333332px;"> <a href="https://drukpnbbank.bt/" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;">Druk PNB</span></a> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #202124; line-height: 37.333332px;">is incredibly slow and occasionally unstable even though it is still developing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 37.333332px;"><span style="color: #202124;">EPS will be a clean procedure above all else. No one gets to touch money. Even if a person is not tempted to misuse the money all alone with the current practice of collection, we can never be certain whether they would do it by colluding with other people. Money is often the drive behind persons attracted to corrupt behaviour. It is only prudent to find solutions to prevent such problems from happening in the first place. A cashless culture can contribute to the fight against corruption, and we may start hearing fewer stories of </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/?s=embezzlement" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">e</a><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/?s=embezzlement" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">mbezzlement</a></span><span style="color: #202124;">, </span><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/?s=misuse+of+funds" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">misuse of funds</span></a><span style="color: #202124;">, and </span><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/?s=fraud" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">fraud</span></a> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #202124; line-height: 37.333332px;">which has unfortunately turned epidemic even within our fragile economy. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #202124; line-height: 37.333332px;">Another virtue of electronic transfer is the direct deposit of money into the government account. No further effort or hiring of a person is required to deposit the money if EPS is used. When the cash is timely deposited, it will help in generating and accumulating interest. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #202124; line-height: 37.333332px;">When such facilities are instituted, our population will undoubtedly use them. For instance, despite the late adoption of mobile and internet services in Bhutan, even the older generations today can adapt to emerging technologies (e.g., using social media to attend religious discourse). This is amazing because it shows how quickly our people can adjust to both technology and time. All it matters is the facilities we provide to them. With such a modest beginning, there is a scope to proliferate a technology-driven economy. People will start using services that are reliable, easy, and very fast. Nowadays, people search for methods that complete tasks more quickly when they need any services. There is literally no time for anyone to wait so long for simple tasks that may be completed quickly elsewhere. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"><b>Revisiting the Royal Visions</b></span><b style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; line-height: 42.666672px;"><o:p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; line-height: 37.333332px;"><o:p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"></span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #202124; line-height: 37.333332px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">As citizens, it is our fundamental duty to assist the government in any way so that we can continue to exist as a nation. It is time that we reflect on the following passages from His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuk's coronation speech, which he addressed in 1972 at the age of just 16: </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 56.9pt 6pt 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span style="border: 1pt windowtext; color: #282828; line-height: 37.333332px; padding: 0cm;">“As far as you, my people are concerned, you should not adopt the</span><span style="border: 1pt windowtext; color: #282828; line-height: 37.333332px; padding: 0cm;"> </span><span style="border: 1pt windowtext; line-height: 37.333332px; padding: 0cm;"><span style="color: #282828;">attitude that whatever is required to be done for your welfare will be done entirely by the government. On the contrary, </span><u style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">a little effort on your part will be much more effective than a great deal of effort on the part of the government</span></u><span style="color: #282828; font-style: italic;">. </span><span style="color: #282828;">If the government and people can join hands and work with determination, our people will achieve prosperity and our nation will become strong and stable…If everyone of us consider ourselves Bhutanese, and think and act as one, and if we have faith in the triple gem, our glorious kingdom of Bhutan will grow from strength to strength and achieve prosperity, peace, and happiness” (Emphasis added). </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; line-height: 37.333332px;"><o:p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 32px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; line-height: 37.333332px;"><o:p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-5800541765441287262022-10-17T06:18:00.031-07:002024-03-01T18:13:17.745-08:00Naming and Renaming Mania<p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU">The recent change in the brand for Bhutanese tourism from its old tagline </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRdqi7T4_EE" rel="nofollow" style="color: #954f72;" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;">Happiness is a Place</span></a><span lang="EN-AU"> to </span><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/bhutan-unveils-new-national-brand-believe/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #954f72;" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;">Believe, </span></a><span lang="EN-AU">and the increase in </span><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/tourism-levy-bill-not-just-about-usd-200-lyonchhen/" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;">Sustainable Development Fee</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;"> (SDF) </span><span lang="EN-AU">sparked a great deal of debate and stimulated different wavelengths of societal dialogue. Enough ink has been spilt in every media forum by all walks of people, pouring in their standpoints – both in favour and against the current brand. Since I lack the fundamental financial acumen, I regrettably eliminate SDF from the limelight of discussion. Instead, I remain fascinated to deliberate some of my thoughts in the light of changing names. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8gtmkUIyhX4JsvEWgzMFGJZenHdq4iNQoeUElg3YgGuhAqVFLnmCYQQJ-8SgejNpmZ8X6gbZVH9IxqHkf_9mqggQKVL_Gl81bRBZMOxq_leJpmmnaV6WxrYqTLf19DSa5f2yGk04H2BxBjUMbc2mZ_Wc2zAmk2e4Wn5L_98Q0lqd3PWJyF-fpywi/s1612/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-08%20at%208.00.18%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1612" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8gtmkUIyhX4JsvEWgzMFGJZenHdq4iNQoeUElg3YgGuhAqVFLnmCYQQJ-8SgejNpmZ8X6gbZVH9IxqHkf_9mqggQKVL_Gl81bRBZMOxq_leJpmmnaV6WxrYqTLf19DSa5f2yGk04H2BxBjUMbc2mZ_Wc2zAmk2e4Wn5L_98Q0lqd3PWJyF-fpywi/w640-h336/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-08%20at%208.00.18%20AM.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Bhutan Believe</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><b>When the only difference is the name</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Initially, I was also swayed to think on this subject of <i>naming and renaming </i>phenomena. But I am already accustomed to this culture of how avid and obsessed we are in this gamble of name-changing malady. In the name of change, we are deeply infatuated with <i>only </i>changing names, and that is it. I can vividly recall that in the place where I domiciled, one of the schools was originally identified as a <i>junior high school</i><i>.</i> A few years later, the same school was renamed a <i>middle secondary school</i>. Then the politics and political parties emerged to take the batons of this name-changing relay race. Buying the same nametag of change, two distinct neighbouring schools situated in the same locality were merged under one organisational jurisdiction and named the <i><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/central-schools-sustainability-and-dependency/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">central school</span></a></i>.</span><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> During the tenure of a new political party that reverberated to overhaul the old education system, the union of the two schools done by the previous political party were dissociated and retroceded the schools with the same ancestry surname.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU">While the change in the name of the school was obvious and publicly evident, the quality of amenities and infrastructures have regrettably remained unchanged. The <a href="https://kuenselonline.com/?s=teacher+shortage" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">scarcity of teachers</span></a>, </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2016/04/a-ministerial-impulse-to-investigate_27.html" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;">heavy instructional hours,</span></a><span lang="EN-AU"> </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2013/04/in-response-to-writers-workshop.html" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;">awful bosses</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;">, </span><a href="https://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2013/05/to-separate-certificate.html" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;">sickening policies</span></a><span lang="EN-AU">, pitiable working conditions, deprived career and Professional Development (PD) opportunities, cramped classrooms, and sterile internet access to name a few are still ubiquitous and an antique thing in the museum of our school’s plight. Perhaps, we remain utterly confused with the definition of change. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">As a former schoolteacher, I have a decent memory and understanding of how this word <i>change</i> typically remained as the keyword in the vocabulary of our policymakers. However, when I recurrently saw little or no change, like Juliet in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, I always lived by the dictum: <i>What’s in the name?</i> If we do not practically operationalise the concept of change in action, what good does it do by simply changing the name? That was why, in 2001, when my name was erroneously changed from <span style="color: #0432ff;"><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-census-rimpochhe_26.html" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;">Damcho Wangdue to Dumcho Wangdi</span></a> </span>by one of the blind drunk census officers, I remained least bothered. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyx8Ry143ZYp8ESE4thQt8g4caDjO-ROqUA-NnDblvXeYFBW94rkSu7xsVufwCdVzFQcC6iU0vSSLd1vwt_PdoocmuyBAINBsUAolPARiZzpHruAb3hDlK_VE4KbB4us6E7KcAjI2oUp4Jx515TQhuQtGSAHaZobadZYWh1wZYWQCZf5AgLjGcdOH/s1898/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-08%20at%207.51.02%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1396" data-original-width="1898" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyx8Ry143ZYp8ESE4thQt8g4caDjO-ROqUA-NnDblvXeYFBW94rkSu7xsVufwCdVzFQcC6iU0vSSLd1vwt_PdoocmuyBAINBsUAolPARiZzpHruAb3hDlK_VE4KbB4us6E7KcAjI2oUp4Jx515TQhuQtGSAHaZobadZYWh1wZYWQCZf5AgLjGcdOH/w640-h470/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-08%20at%207.51.02%20AM.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Bhutan Happiness is a Place: Old Tourism Tagline<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><b style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0b5394;"><b style="font-family: georgia;">Change in the Tourism Brand</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU">Returning to the change in the tourism brand<i>, </i>I hold very idiosyncratic viewpoints for the change in the name this time after I attended a seminar organised by the </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2FTqC1iJ78" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;">Royal Institute for Governance and Strategic Studies (RIGSS)</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;">.</span><span lang="EN-AU"> With the new brand, <i>Believe, </i>I<i> </i>believe that there are multiple things that it can offer – if we think broadly and optimistically. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU">For a small Kingdom like ours, which is often overwhelmed with resources and capital limitations, it is way beyond the latitude of the nation to accommodate a huge volume of visitors. That is why </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2014/11/v-is-for-veterans-day.html">His Majesty the 4<sup>th</sup> Druk Gyalpo</a> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;"></span><span lang="EN-AU">was very farsighted during the benevolent reign that he steadily emphasised <i>High Value, Low Volume</i> tourism in Bhutan. Besides leaving abundant monarchic legacies including </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-international-day-of-happiness.html" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;">the noble philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;">)</span><span lang="EN-AU">, His Majesty the 4<sup>th</sup> King has already visualised, in days of yore, that if the health of the nation is lost, it would be difficult if not, impossible to recuperate to its unprecedented form. The health of Bhutan as a sovereign Kingdom lies heavily on our unique culture and the intact natural environment that remains pristine and unadulterated.<span style="color: red;"> </span>We have read in the past that in many countries what Bhutan have today has been long lost, and it is, therefore, critical that we preserve what is precious to our country. Thanks to our holistic developmental paradigm of GNH which emphasises the nation’s economic prosperity without losing the elements of spirituality, culture, and environmental sustainability. At the heart of this paradigm is happiness and well-being for the Bhutanese people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: georgia;">Why do we need change? </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span style="text-indent: 36pt;">I concur with the notion that if a nation aspires to progress, the generation of revenue is extremely important at this time of rapid globalisation, digitalisation, and commercialisation. It has even been more important since the COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented era of hardships for the people altering our regular ways of livelihood. Post-pandemic, Bhutan embraced eye-opening experiences that cautioned with and offered both life-changing and life-threatening lessons to survive as a nation. Consequently, we have gradually started to self-actualise that the income derived due to mass tourism is not always nourishing for the nation’s future, especially in terms of </span><i style="text-indent: 36pt;">sustaining the </i><span style="text-indent: 36pt;">happiness and wellbeing of the Bhutanese. That is, happiness and well-being are matchless values that cannot be substituted, bought, or imported with any foreign outings.</span></span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 36pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: auto; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO50r8VNFArbdNc_YPcbaKZ-1wBkYb_rIrntrRxJobm0sXlrDmSwkqfkqSEJn412A9nqidKn5cf5LJyopXqJtRJdt9K9l1uk85yNZr-i6arYNBiiscOix5GonPmOhyRy21DyIgyBCCfKxGC1e2QGQhHdb6_wSaiRDN2E_HF24CIG8A8TsYfSFKCtEK/s2048/mask%20dance%203.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO50r8VNFArbdNc_YPcbaKZ-1wBkYb_rIrntrRxJobm0sXlrDmSwkqfkqSEJn412A9nqidKn5cf5LJyopXqJtRJdt9K9l1uk85yNZr-i6arYNBiiscOix5GonPmOhyRy21DyIgyBCCfKxGC1e2QGQhHdb6_wSaiRDN2E_HF24CIG8A8TsYfSFKCtEK/w640-h480/mask%20dance%203.jpeg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Mask dances as one element of culture (Image source unknown)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: georgia;">What <i>believe</i> could mean </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Although the brand <i>believe </i>appears to be dull, abstract, and subjective in its interpretation, the overall change in the tourism brand was timeous. If broadly construed, <i>believe </i>can imply that Bhutan has stalwart faith in her potential to rise higher and grow stronger. <i>Believe </i>embrace a strong conviction that we are competent of taking this nation forward as a sovereign Kingdom for many generations to come. Beyond all, <i>believe </i>is a signpost to serve as a stark reminder to the policymakers that for a fragile economic nation like ours, we cannot afford to focus singularly on mass tourism if we are to uphold the sovereignty of our Kingdom. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: georgia;">What tourism means for Bhutan? </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">One key focus of discourse that emerged due to the change in brand and subsequently increasing the SDF was regarding the <i>volume</i> of tourists vising Bhutan. Many remained sceptical that the national brand will limit the profile of tourism, but I continued to think otherwise. Elsewhere, tourism is largely marketed by publicising towering skyscrapers, spectacular beaches, modern technologies, a large museum, world-class recreations and entertainment centres, bubbling nightlife, and magnificent metropolis to name a few. In Bhutan, since its inception, tourism is promoted to showcase national identity through our unique culture and intangible <i>values </i>associated with environmental sustainability, serenity, peacefulness, tranquillity, and spirituality. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Tourists who were drawn to visit Bhutan frequently were informed of our national aspirations, and they applauded their visits by embracing these ideals with a strong ethical compass. With the new tourism policy, which charges travellers <span style="color: #0432ff;"><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/tourism-levy-bill-not-just-about-usd-200-lyonchhen/" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;">$200 per night</span></a>,</span> it is never a signal to limit such tourists visiting the country. Instead, for a nation that depends excessively on its natural environment – both for the development and Kingdom’s prosperity, it intends to offer an additional experience of <i>values </i>from the little coffer we have. The lesser the volume, the better the quality and higher the standards in the value of their experience. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: georgia;">What lesson can we draw? </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Bhutan may remain on the bucket lists of travellers who are still looking for certain ideals, such as sustainability, tranquility, sacredness, peace, well-being, and harmony – values that our development philosophy (GNH) strives for. If there is a sharp dip in the volume of tourists, it may intrude on Bhutan’s generation of revenue as tourism is the second largest income-generating source after hydropower. Even if there is less volume of tourists visiting after this new policy, instead of making plans to revert and recycle mass tourism, it is wise for our policymakers to recognise that tourism is not just an avenue to generate revenue and sustain our Kingdom’s future of <i>self-reliance </i>and <i>sovereignty. </i>It is imperative that we look for ways to support ourselves independently to lessen our propensity to rely on other countries. <span style="color: #0432ff;"><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-small-big.html" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;">It is time we begin with small steps</span></a></span>. </span></span></p>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-32760345212261430122022-09-20T08:53:00.059-07:002022-12-19T02:51:39.178-08:00Physics Webinar: Learning Together<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbHQATiYUyf0JjgFp4H5VDwu2a0-A5RF62Z-hgGiZ3SuTX6CEVF6uXPhA946FTkFAa5lK7dtBTnxkpARd2NMtL6qDT8vAEWRgpJGmeJvvQWz6BIchOcMetpxcVQglHgcIXC7d4eI61eYYlYHId5-fCUnWuXAWRoioZgiM0mHP-1sK0ytCFULfUdDs2/s2048/physics%20meet.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbHQATiYUyf0JjgFp4H5VDwu2a0-A5RF62Z-hgGiZ3SuTX6CEVF6uXPhA946FTkFAa5lK7dtBTnxkpARd2NMtL6qDT8vAEWRgpJGmeJvvQWz6BIchOcMetpxcVQglHgcIXC7d4eI61eYYlYHId5-fCUnWuXAWRoioZgiM0mHP-1sK0ytCFULfUdDs2/w494-h640/physics%20meet.jpeg" width="494" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span> </span>I was fortunate to be the presenter during the online forum entitled <b style="color: black;">Physics Webinar: Learning Together</b> conducted yesterday. I consented to take part as a Speaker in the program because <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href=" Information without sharing is no better than not knowing anything else. Hence, propagate the intrinsic values that are deeply rooted in our culture. " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sharing information</a></span> was one of the few things that I promised in the <a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2022/03/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Letter to my Future Self which I wrote in 2018</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span> </span>This virtual meet was the first of its kind organised by the Department of Curriculum and Professional Division (DCPD), Ministry of Education, Bhutan to provide a platform for Physics teachers to encourage collaborative learning. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span> </span>At the time when the COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented challenge to the people and the learning institutions such as schools, virtual session such as this was welcoming to bring together all the teaching fraternity to learn and exchange some ideas even if it was for a very brief moment. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span> </span>I was overwhelmed by the number of participants where we had whopping 207 Physics and science teachers from all parts of the country excluding the large crowds of students in some schools. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiziqkwewX8c7HAy-S-wAGyYydHxh0vYSjx3B31j_cCalnFDFES-n64dS-WAacfk_71JpuvdPpACAbu-Fj2_ItnAPPxLM_4cLQMTzPSPvhzdbyMSkVUuR7D8BLf6JhSshUEOvGmYaWRYu2gD_YOVSm8zocZN7SoW7mLoYb0Y1A7O8QyXthyqIdUTcAl/s2880/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-19%20at%207.00.49%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiziqkwewX8c7HAy-S-wAGyYydHxh0vYSjx3B31j_cCalnFDFES-n64dS-WAacfk_71JpuvdPpACAbu-Fj2_ItnAPPxLM_4cLQMTzPSPvhzdbyMSkVUuR7D8BLf6JhSshUEOvGmYaWRYu2gD_YOVSm8zocZN7SoW7mLoYb0Y1A7O8QyXthyqIdUTcAl/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-19%20at%207.00.49%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkzst9mCwNhvubI5u8VRhSitUQJoKe3RLYdOYn18EIGOdkGp5-qfB9aIa4-jrd3SeboyI6veqz5vFAjftggICNBRbGlYNNIhXcpVyENxMmdtxPg4Z_xS_0A4tdqTGjf8vdmAcDigPKlPZvSB2LnivElcAKmgtpTxD78u8SlC2A4KYdEF8ZaP6dnh_/s2880/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-19%20at%207.00.54%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkzst9mCwNhvubI5u8VRhSitUQJoKe3RLYdOYn18EIGOdkGp5-qfB9aIa4-jrd3SeboyI6veqz5vFAjftggICNBRbGlYNNIhXcpVyENxMmdtxPg4Z_xS_0A4tdqTGjf8vdmAcDigPKlPZvSB2LnivElcAKmgtpTxD78u8SlC2A4KYdEF8ZaP6dnh_/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-19%20at%207.00.54%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /><b style="font-family: -webkit-standard; text-align: center;"><i><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHahzn2UF_yyuokb_S4LJ8xt5Y4ACfvWyKbZFULjSs87PBs30M8__SF8NR9SkbzeJ7o7EyufA_dTMYNsl7NtNQ8jE1votpR1fwL-L21g6I9CGD3QRsvU9X-PzH9rgvvM3rJ1f2yIFs2HY6LFobAUTMv93u4XpMLzVri7OfpbNJTktwYGy1zNu44tC/s2880/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-21%20at%201.44.05%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHahzn2UF_yyuokb_S4LJ8xt5Y4ACfvWyKbZFULjSs87PBs30M8__SF8NR9SkbzeJ7o7EyufA_dTMYNsl7NtNQ8jE1votpR1fwL-L21g6I9CGD3QRsvU9X-PzH9rgvvM3rJ1f2yIFs2HY6LFobAUTMv93u4XpMLzVri7OfpbNJTktwYGy1zNu44tC/w640-h400/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-21%20at%201.44.05%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></i></b></i></b><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span> </span>Here are some of the things that I spoke about in the webinar. </span></span></p><b><i><p></p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Kuzuzangpola! </span></i></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to Mr Phuntsho Norbu, the Physics Curriculum Developer, for granting me the opportunity to present at this august virtual meeting in the attendance of our esteemed fraternity of Physics teachers and amazing students. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Mr Phuntsho, who is one of my closest friends, proposed me this idea several months ago but I had to put it on hold because of my studies until today. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Since I do not have anything unique or profound to say to the audience here, I was initially hesitant to speak in a large forum like this. More importantly, what I have done so far is neither an accomplishment nor something that calls for praise and appreciation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span> </span>Nevertheless, after a series of communication with Mr Phuntsho, considering the novelty of this webinar entitled </span><span style="line-height: 28px;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=5823389681019232&set=a.221953634496226" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;">Physics Meet: Learning Together</span></a></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 28px;">,<b> </b></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">I consented to participate and present on the hands-on model that I developed while pursuing my master’s degree. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Given that there are students in this virtual meeting, to make things comprehensible and clear to all range of audiences, in the process of explaining the model, I may discuss some concepts that are already familiar to the teacher colleagues here. In that case, I sincerely ask for your patience even if the information that I share is only a repetition because I always believe that, at times, <i>worth telling is worth repeating twice</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>I may take around half an hour and I will present 6 key themes: <span> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">Positionality<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">Motivation <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">Literature Review <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">Methodology<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">Findings and <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">Implications of the hands-on model that I developed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">1. Positionality </span><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>Let me begin by stating the <i>Positionality</i> first. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>The fact that I am speaking in this webinar as a presenter does not in any way indicate that I am an expert or that I possess exceptional talent. I am merely using this chance to share my experiences of developing a low-cost hands-on model to demonstrate the law of conservation of energy, for which I recently received a <span style="color: #0432ff;"><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2021/10/after-waiting-for-circa-6-years.html" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #0432ff;">Petty Patent</span></a></span> and a Certificate of Appreciation. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Before I begin explaining the model, let me make my stand more relatable by narrating in the context of our Buddhist philosophy. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span> </span>As a Buddhist, I always believe in </span><em><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">Tendrel</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">(རྟེན་འབྲེལ་)</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"> which in English</span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"> means </span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span> </span></span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">(རྟེན)</span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"> </span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">dependent and </span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">(འབྲེལ)</span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"> </span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">connected</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"> or simply <i>interdependent causation. </i>This theory of Interdependence elaborates how everything including our life and existence </span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">is</span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"> <span lang="EN-AU">the outcome </span></span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">of <i>causes</i> and <i>conditions</i>. </span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span lang="EN-AU">There are 2 key points to consider: <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span> </span>1.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">Nothing happens by accident</span></i><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">. In other words, it means things do not come out of nothing. </span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 36pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">Results and causes are co-related</span></i><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">. Results depend on causes. For example, good causes lead to good results. </span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span> </span>This </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">idea</span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"> applies to everything in our life, including our life goals, such as </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">being </span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">happ</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">y, content, getting promoted or achieving our dreams. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ohmirOjwNx7ZjQM18OfKSVoneE1hT5klCt54ST6Dlh_Eqyg4_frCKmhR7XVbyCHkZu4-zGBW86ofDVAU9BAqE7BMhBb4BlzPpi9IoMD34fSIUDZ-wr76Iif4i8xCrh5v1QsUMhm-UZNTjzTUM0_Jcbdy1KvJ_cMO8_QbrIwjfQ1NrhegXQNQcsiV/s2880/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-21%20at%201.44.20%20AM.png" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; letter-spacing: 0.133333px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ohmirOjwNx7ZjQM18OfKSVoneE1hT5klCt54ST6Dlh_Eqyg4_frCKmhR7XVbyCHkZu4-zGBW86ofDVAU9BAqE7BMhBb4BlzPpi9IoMD34fSIUDZ-wr76Iif4i8xCrh5v1QsUMhm-UZNTjzTUM0_Jcbdy1KvJ_cMO8_QbrIwjfQ1NrhegXQNQcsiV/w640-h400/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-21%20at%201.44.20%20AM.png" width="640" /></span></a></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Whether a student, someone who is unemployed, or even somebody who is already employed, we have our own <b><i>life goals</i></b><i> </i>(shown with an arrow and a target). Life goals are those lists of things that we wish to fulfil in our life. Even as a classroom teacher, besides wishing to help students excel in their life and assist to make their future bright, I always had my own set of life goals, that is, to do well (academically and professionally) in my life. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span> </span>After identifying the list of my life goals, I used to work diligently with lots of <b><i>commitments</i></b><i> </i>(shown as a man pushing the rock against the slope) in accomplishing it. In the process, I had to undergo lots of sacrifices. During times of failure, I had to respond to </span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">difficult situations</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"> by developing r</span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">esilience </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">so that I can </span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">harness positive energy and cultivate a growth mindset </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">to further move on. </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span> </span></span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span> </span>When I worked constantly and consistently, I came to understand that I could achieve my goal – either partially or wholly. Then I realised that my results were produced basically as the <b><i>outcome </i></b>(shown with four-leaf clover) of my causes. When my outcomes became visible, I met many people who said that I was lucky because they only saw the results that I have obtained. But </span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">actually, </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">it was the </span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">work that </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">I did. </span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">I worked for it; I sacrificed </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">for it. I s</span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">uffered for it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Specifically, the hands-on model that I developed and that I am going to present in today’s session is <i>not</i> something that occurred due to an accident or because I was lucky. Neither has it occurred because I have a special talent. I only believe that it happened at the <i>right time</i> after I identified my <i>life goals</i>, put in lots of <i>commitments</i>, and eventually got the <i>outcome</i> in the form of a Petty Patent. <span> </span><span> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> I narrate this </span>experience, I only feel that <i>all of us</i> have our own set of <i>life goals</i> that have their own <i>blooming time</i>. The only thing is that we have to work with lots of <i>commitments</i> to get the <i>outcome</i>. The harder we work, the luckier we feel. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span> </span>Having said that, I do not claim whatever I have done and achieved this far is all due to my effort alone. Precisely, for the development of this hands-on model and gradually getting a </span><span style="line-height: 28px;"><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2021/10/after-waiting-for-circa-6-years.html" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">Petty Patent (Number 18158)</span></a></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">after 6 years, I was indeed helped by many people – both far and close. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span> </span>I was fortunate to have embarked on my master’s degree under these two ideal advisors Dr Monamorn and Dr Paisan Kanthang. More than their academic potency and competence, I appreciated how they were flexible, supportive, open to ideas (good listeners), took interest in my work and always had a positive attitude toward what I was doing. Because they had so much trust and belief in me, I was always kept vigilant to work harder to meet their expectations. It was a time when I experienced a </span><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">Pygmalion effect</span></i><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">where I performed better when they had great expectations of me. So, from the bottom of my heart, I thank them for making my idea of developing the model to be successful. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8RJXhRLnrUPAY5G1BHEEHYEjSydoy5jzDByGypoHgIzaHuVF3qzRJgeAWcPwyijfRuwdfkPdIA0I0Y7Zri1ORtJoUQrr0Y172KvxvJSX_tXJ80N1XGhY4kQQwXIDFxKn5fRj9KWjiKZmh_hGPLtuzynJnj5CuFEQvtIKzrowAtUA0stMeU1XYN4S0/s2880/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-21%20at%201.44.26%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8RJXhRLnrUPAY5G1BHEEHYEjSydoy5jzDByGypoHgIzaHuVF3qzRJgeAWcPwyijfRuwdfkPdIA0I0Y7Zri1ORtJoUQrr0Y172KvxvJSX_tXJ80N1XGhY4kQQwXIDFxKn5fRj9KWjiKZmh_hGPLtuzynJnj5CuFEQvtIKzrowAtUA0stMeU1XYN4S0/w640-h400/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-21%20at%201.44.26%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">2. Motivation </span></b><b style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-weight: 400;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>In 2008, I graduated with Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Science. However, I was placed in a Community Primary School where I ended up doing multi-grade teaching. A year later, due to the need for a science teacher, I was transferred to a lower secondary school. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>In 2013, I applied for a transfer, and I was placed at Kabesa Middle Secondary School. Since it was a newly upgraded school, there was no physics teacher to teach Year 9 students. That was the first time I got to teach the subject that I specialised in. It was already 5 years then. Most of the contents that I have learnt in college and the contents included in the curriculum were revised. I have almost forgotten the pedagogic skills and strategies in teaching <i>secondary</i> students because I was working in a lower and community primary school. And very sadly, the feelings of teaching physics creatively and innovatively that I had when I was in the teacher training college have plummeted by a huge margin. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>However, whenever I entered the classroom, I became more passionate to teach because of my love and concern for the children. Seeing their innocent faces waiting eagerly to learn something new from me every day was one reason that I was always motivated to teach in a way that I can make a difference in their lives. Somehow, I was always encouraged to make do justice to my role as their physics teacher. <span> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Unfortunately, as His Majesty the King said in his Royal Address to the teacher trainees of Samtse College of Education on November 16, 2012, I quote, “<i>we cannot give what we don’t have</i>”. I was not able to give them more because there was nothing in me. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span> </span>That’s how I started to think that I need to upgrade myself professionally if I want to make difference in their life. That is how I applied for some scholarships to upgrade my qualification and contribute to our education system. So, I was fortunate to have obtained TICA Scholarship for pursuing my master’s degree. For this, I would like to thank the </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB), Ministry of Education (MoE), Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC), and my terrific Parents, family, and friends for enabling me to complete my master's degree in Science and Technology Education from Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. <span> </span><span> </span></span><span style="line-height: 28px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><o:p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">3. Literature Review </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>I did my master’s degree by research. By the end of 2 years course, I was required to publish my own thesis. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">I read the relevant literature on various science topics. Eventually, I was attracted to explore more on the concept of <i>energy</i>. U</span><span style="line-height: 28px;">nderstanding energy is very important because it is one concept that helps us to </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">understand any </span><span style="line-height: 28px;">physical phenomena</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"> taking place around us</span></span><span style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span> </span>However, l</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;">ike any other physics concept, students have misunderstandings regarding the concept of energy<b> <span style="color: #0b5394;">conservation</span>. </b>When describing the <i>conservation </i>of energy, students think that conservation is a synonym for saving or not wasting energy while the scientific meaning is to remain the same (constant) despite repeated change and energy transfer process. </span></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Studies have revealed that students find difficulty in understanding the law of conservation of energy because the terms <i>energy </i>itself is abstract and confusing. Elsewhere it is indicated that students confuse energy with the terms such as <i>force, power, heat, </i>or<i> fuel. </i>In many cases, students think that energy is an entity that can exist for a while and exhaust completely. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 28px;"><span> </span>While</span><span style="line-height: 28px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 28px;">science educators have initiate</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">d</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">numerous t</span><span style="line-height: 28px;">eaching methods</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"> to make scientific concepts simple and understandable for the students, <i>experiment </i>or hands-based learning was largely recommended in the literature for teaching the law of conservation of energy. </span><span style="line-height: 28px;">Hands-on </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">learning </span><span style="line-height: 28px;">is one of the most meaningful learning strategies </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">that can e</span><span style="line-height: 28px;">ncourage </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">students </span><span style="line-height: 28px;">to involve directly </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">in</span><span style="line-height: 28px;"> perform</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">ing </span><span style="line-height: 28px;">the specific task</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"> and learn through </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">observation </span><span style="line-height: 28px;">and manipulat</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">ion. <span> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoazqy05qNGy4FI6PEW7A60-KO6JKsvstB5y4jwkpAsPTZQjomBqjACgQm1eg9-gc4JlxTgh1X1MjJtxfHvFyy-dtYhjbOhyOwHUdbL2DWfEb1NCEcodPYFUSN2F7ky_TuqhGcb5KytiJNF2OtCOjW0FBom40heuJNtWpEmF9RbWW-1hDrZImNPznr/s2880/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-21%20at%203.43.59%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoazqy05qNGy4FI6PEW7A60-KO6JKsvstB5y4jwkpAsPTZQjomBqjACgQm1eg9-gc4JlxTgh1X1MjJtxfHvFyy-dtYhjbOhyOwHUdbL2DWfEb1NCEcodPYFUSN2F7ky_TuqhGcb5KytiJNF2OtCOjW0FBom40heuJNtWpEmF9RbWW-1hDrZImNPznr/w640-h400/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-21%20at%203.43.59%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span> </span>Even in the Bhutanese curriculum materials, the teaching of science which is classified into 4 strands: </span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">Working Scientifically, Life Processes, Materials and their Properties, </span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;">and<i> Physical Processes</i>identifies the importance of hands-on learning. However, the law of energy conservation is dominantly taught using theoretical examples (e.g., derivations based on freefalling body, simple pendulum) or imaginary illustrations (e.g., inclined plane). Consequently, based on my own teaching experience, I found that our students are <i>only </i>able to write the definition of the law of conservation without being able to relate it to practical contexts. I understood that our students are still in the practice of doing rote memorisation.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>This prompted me to look for some alternatives in finding an innovative and simple method to learn the law of conservation of energy. Not only will it be the first of its kind but being able to construct a simple hands-on model can contribute to the scientific literature by achieving methodological, empirical, or population gaps. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia;">Theoretical Explanation of the Law of Conservation of Energy</span><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>The law of conservation of energy is defined as <i>energy can neither be created nor destroyed but it can be transformed from one form to another. </i><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>For those of you who are not from a science (Physics background), let me briefly explain using the inclined plane. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitK3HSnlN1_kQQgHFt-0lUm5NVfbUgdyNjWQWXwjewecjyWcEAtAzk9AarvGJH2crgqs5PQUDuW0XB8hGiZZtneXpTg9U03A2lC6dfN2NULdQnBlZnRsmL2A1mkIzYtr_MQve6GEob5uXEB3i4QGmZUotYB24TBD5b9ECzZZtYgm_SEWY973TkmXWq/s2880/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-21%20at%203.44.35%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitK3HSnlN1_kQQgHFt-0lUm5NVfbUgdyNjWQWXwjewecjyWcEAtAzk9AarvGJH2crgqs5PQUDuW0XB8hGiZZtneXpTg9U03A2lC6dfN2NULdQnBlZnRsmL2A1mkIzYtr_MQve6GEob5uXEB3i4QGmZUotYB24TBD5b9ECzZZtYgm_SEWY973TkmXWq/w640-h400/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-21%20at%203.44.35%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Consider that there is an object initially placed at Point 2. By virtue of being at rest, the object will have Potential Energy (PE). When the object rolls down from Point 2 to Point 1 and then to Point 0, it has Kinetic Energy (KE) due to the virtue of being in motion. In theory, the law of conservation says that total Mechanical Energy (ME) at Point 2, Point 1, and Point 0 will remain the same. When we add, PE and KE, it gives ME at each point. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>This means that, even if there is a change in PE or KE, the total ME is not affected. To show PE and KE graphically, the object has the highest PE at Point 2 because of the height of the object from the ground as PE depends on the height (PE = mgh where <i>m </i>is the mass of the object, <i>g </i>is the acceleration due to gravity, and <i>h </i>is the height of the object from the ground level. However, as the object is at rest at Point 2, it has zero KE. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>When the object moves from Point 2 to Point 1, the height decrease, and the PE ultimately decrease. PE of the object keeps on decreasing (shown with the green dotted line on the graph) as it moves from Point 2 to Point 1 and then to Point 0. At the same time, the KE of the object keeps on increasing (shown with a blue dotted line) because the object gains velocity as it moves down from Point 2 to Point 1 and then to Point 0. But if we find the total ME at Point 2, Point 1 and Point 0, it will be the same because ME is the sum of PE and KE. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Hence, the law of conservation of energy says that ME at Point 2 = ME at Point 1 = ME at Point 0.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">4. Methodology </span><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 28px;"><span> </span>After reading the relevant literature, I was informed about what and how to construct the model. </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">I have specifically undergone 3 significant steps: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">i) Construct Prototypes <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">ii) Test the Precision of the model<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">iii) Conduct a Pilot Study using the hands-on model and then finally use it in my study for the data collection. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Let me now explain first on to construct the prototypes. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><b>Prototype I</b><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>To find out whether my idea of developing a hands-on model would work, I used some locally available materials such as cardboard, and a bottle cap (shown with a white round shape on the inclined plane). I used the same formula in our textbook to calculate Potential Energy (PE) and Kinetic Energy (KE). Since I was recording the time manually and also using models that were not very smooth, there was human errors and friction on the surfaces of contact. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><b>Prototype II</b><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>In prototype II, I replaced the cardboard with the plyboard, and the bottle cap with the trolley, and made the height of the inclined plane adjustable using the hook. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><b>Prototype III</b><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>At this phase, again I changed the wooden inclined plane to an acrylic material because of its durability, visibility, lightweight, and smoothness so that the trolley can seamlessly roll down the ramp. In the inclined plane, I embedded 5 sensors that can indicate the time when the trolley passes through it. The time is shown in the timer in milliseconds. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><b> Prototype IV </b><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>In prototype IV, instead of having the end of the wire from each sensor connected to the timer, all the wires emerging from the sensor were joined at one end, at the base of the inclined plane. From that point, I used a VGA cable to connect to the timer, which in turn is connected to the power source using the power adapter. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">5. Findings </span><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>I will now share the findings about the hands-on model I developed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">i) Precision of the hands-on model<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">ii) Pilot Study at Horwang School, Thailand <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">iii) Pilot Study at Kabesa Middle Secondary School, Punakha<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">iv) Data Collection at Dechentsemo Central School, Punakha<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> </span>The p</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;">recision of the developed hands-on model was compared with the commercial models. The hands-on model was found as precise as the commercial one. The findings of this precision study were presented at the <a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2014/12/y-is-for-yahoo-its-another-chance.html"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">40<sup>th</sup> Congress of Science and Technology of Thailand (STT40).</span></a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Then, after getting consent from the School Principal, I had the opportunity to teach students of Year 11 at Horwang School in Thailand about the law of conservation energy using my model. I found out that the model was functioning well and was effective in making the students understand the concept of energy conservation. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Since I aimed to use the model in the Bhutanese context, I went to Kabesa Middle Secondary School, Punakha where I initially worked. With 30 Year 9 students, I taught the concept of energy conservation using the model. Interestingly, I found out that the model was efficient in enhancing the students’ conceptual understanding. The findings of the pilot study were later published in<span style="color: #0432ff;"><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325709121_Development_of_a_hands-on_model_embedded_with_guided_inquiry_laboratory_to_enhance_students'_understanding_of_law_of_mechanical_energy_conservation" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;"> the Asia-Pacific Forum of Science Learning and Teaching</span></a>. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>After the pilot study, I was already convinced that the model can be used in teaching the law of conservation of energy. I involved 100 Year 10 students of Dechentsemo Central School, Punakha to collect data for my thesis writing. The use of the hands-on model was successful and its findings were later published in the<span style="color: #0432ff;"><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343944582_A_Guided_Inquiry_Laboratory_to_Enhance_Students'_Understanding_of_the_Law_of_Mechanical_Energy_Conservation" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;"> International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education</span></a>. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>The findings I obtained from this study were later submitted to Mahidol University, Thailand in the form of my thesis in 2015. I also submitted the details of my innovation to the <span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2021/10/after-waiting-for-circa-6-years.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Department of Intellectual Property of Thailand for a patent</span></a>. It took 6 years to get the patent because the patent team</span> investigate and examines every material that I used to construct the model was new, authentic, and innovative. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9nd2jsxjeaYugRqSnqlnGdRkgvr4H2Jvf7wf7jHgrvsIhpjveD_OqEgEdUE0cezZRXJgnn7jvNPnYVtxFrsS4M6vHaVOkPiBR9-luWBtEkPS-8Cd-XYodWVA4zU3Gi3r2_zI4LnObEZrbiLbpsx0Lvu0D0hGeImFFiYEs5FHv7QvjewiX4gEwnZGx/s2456/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-22%20at%208.51.30%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1906" data-original-width="2456" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9nd2jsxjeaYugRqSnqlnGdRkgvr4H2Jvf7wf7jHgrvsIhpjveD_OqEgEdUE0cezZRXJgnn7jvNPnYVtxFrsS4M6vHaVOkPiBR9-luWBtEkPS-8Cd-XYodWVA4zU3Gi3r2_zI4LnObEZrbiLbpsx0Lvu0D0hGeImFFiYEs5FHv7QvjewiX4gEwnZGx/w640-h496/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-22%20at%208.51.30%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">6. Implications <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>By developing a hands-on model to demonstrate the law of conservation of energy, I identify 2 implications: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">i) Methodological / Practical Implication</span><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">This hands-on model is simply one that any student who does not have any technical ideas can operate; it is innovative because it can precisely and effectively demonstrate the law of conservation of energy. The development of this model can be used as an alternative approach in addition to the existing ways of teaching the law of conservation of energy. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">ii) Empirical Implication </span><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Based on the findings obtained from my studies, provides evidence that students' conceptual understanding of the law of conservation of energy is enhanced. This contributes to the scientific literature by indicating the usefulness and effectiveness of the newly developed hands-on model.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>As I mentioned earlier, the materials used in other models are very expensive. My intention in creating this model was to ensure that it is low-cost so that it can be reproduced in huge numbers and make it accessible to any student in any location of the school.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>The other implication of developing this model was that it could be used for exploring some other relevant physics concepts such as <i>momentum, work-energy theorem, </i>and <i>friction </i>to name a few. </span></span><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Scope</span><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Considering the emphasis placed in our curriculum documents on learning science by doing, teachers and students may be encouraged by presenting how I have created a simple hands-on model like this. We can never predict that our simple idea can be sometimes a useful and innovative invention. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>With our science curriculum increasingly driven towards technology-based learning, incorporating coding and STEM-based education, the scope for further exploration is enhanced. One simple approach in the school can be done by encouraging the students to perform project works that focus on practical utility and convenience. In the current scenario, we are only reinventing the wheel by following the conventional ways of doing the project. However, to encourage both the teachers and students to be innovative and perform at their optimum capacity, we must provide some <i>enabling conditions</i>. Some of the conditions in the form of professional support, access to materials (such as the WIFI or reliable and consistent internet facilities in the school) and the right platform to showcase the talent are necessary. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">My Impression of the Webinar</span></span></span></b></p><p style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Finally, I am grateful to Mr Phuntsho for providing me with this opportunity to speak in this forum. I thank you all for the time even if it was not a worthy session. Although I communicated with Mr Phuntsho, I may propose here that, this webinar henceforth can be a quarterly or annual event. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>As a science teacher who worked in remote parts of the country, I have experienced and observed that our teachers are working tirelessly within their ends to make classroom learning enriching for kids. In doing so, they work with lots of creativity driven with a sense of innovation. But teachers are rarely acknowledged for their outstanding work done in the classroom. Thus, a platform such as this can offer our teachers to share their experiences and wisdom thereby enhancing collaborative learning. As a teacher by heart, I will render my sincere support for this program to be a successful milestone for the STEM Division of the Ministry of Education. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Thank you all for being a wonderful audience. </span></span></p><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
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</style>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-32066072100825659142022-07-28T20:12:00.007-07:002022-12-19T03:43:29.722-08:00Piloting a Classical Song<p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>This song was composed by Aap Dhopay, a legendary Bhutanese singer, in 1984. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeavenlyBhutan/photos/a.154030491371689/5171162769658411/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0NGTLn5iol3rIy5ryA3nV4uLGXWuCTDoCXmRI3MrJTPc4dKzHYzTziEvRNqilKKcL0-h-Lt45Q5gC-nH03az9PjiDENbOtWuin9-vFwYsz6MVQwmhKZHBT140-FhKEinCbMfng5995mNysQqkxowoqZrl-dFMtSu1Bx68YwtIHRliSy6mvuH_jGV/w640-h426/AAp%20DOpay.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeavenlyBhutan/photos/a.154030491371689/5171162769658411/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Aap Dhopay: Image courtesy Click link</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>In 2019, I was engaged as a member developer for drafting the first <a href="https://kuenselonline.com/ministry-ready-to-adopt-neaf-to-access-health-of-school-education/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">National Education Assessment Framework for Science (NEAF)</a>. The workshop was organised by the Bhutan Council of School Examinations and Assessment (BCSEA) in collaboration with the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), New Delhi. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>The NEAF is a robust assessment system that will assess the competency of students in grades 3, 6, and 9. <a href="https://planipolis.iiep.unesco.org/sites/default/files/ressources/bhutan_inclusive_national_education_assessment_framework.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The students will be assessed across 4 domains</a>:</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><ol><li><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Dzongkha Reading and Writing.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">English Reading and Writing. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Mathematics Literacy and,</span></li><li><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Science Literacy. </span></li></ol><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>Mr Wangchuk, Curriculum Developer, Department of Curriculum and Professional Division (DCRD) generously welcomed me to stay in his home during that 10-day workshop. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>We not only had fun moments, but every night we had singing and recording session as well. I had the pleasure to pilot one of Aap Dhopay's classic songs, which was composed as a tribute to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurjey_Lhakhang" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kurje Lhakhang in Bumthang</a>. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Even though the recording contains some errors, I have archived it in my blog for my future memories.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='396' height='329' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxYnqDideABZGMCKrehNAKrW7LtZvasWNHt45_ou6jXmIXSOsqeus862yD5F_gIO1BA3kLU4fB6JXXmmLOvlw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-74131523162675837982022-07-20T04:47:00.058-07:002022-12-19T03:46:22.698-08:00On Gatekeeping Functions <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span> <span> </span></span>Media is the watchdog, they say. It is the watchdog of society. If operated astutely, media functions as a bulwark against corruption, unethical, and illegal social practices. The role of media in creating a disciplined, well-ordered society is enormous. More importantly, reporting trustworthy and moral news is one of the <i>key </i>onuses of any mass media. </span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTVwTbtmKKBhGp_Eanve9W-KdNijdPNZrfdOiKLJFeeXWD9eVMzPJwNubcoVNmyPRrs5mA5StS8cIyZmCAxByNUS5xt9JSOzkeQTTtg_K36Kw0btwhwplp3_SdE22XEgce9Tnh5iVugabzpULCN0zx0Hacez5e6hr3z-me8KG2g2RANzvcQYD1spr/s2000/twai.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTVwTbtmKKBhGp_Eanve9W-KdNijdPNZrfdOiKLJFeeXWD9eVMzPJwNubcoVNmyPRrs5mA5StS8cIyZmCAxByNUS5xt9JSOzkeQTTtg_K36Kw0btwhwplp3_SdE22XEgce9Tnh5iVugabzpULCN0zx0Hacez5e6hr3z-me8KG2g2RANzvcQYD1spr/w640-h640/twai.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span> <span> </span></span>But occasionally, our mass media lose sight of their responsibilities and duties. I am not fascinated to contend with some of the international news outlets and entities that lack the ability to report credible stories and accurate facts. As a citizen of a Kingdom that has only a <a href="http://www.bbs.bt/news/?p=86743" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">66 percent literacy rate (2017)</span></a>, my key concern is with our local mass media. It misleads when they report news that is not credible and gravely under-researched.</span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>The recent viral short clip of a Bhutanese couple that appeared in the Border Security – Australia’s Front Line, for carrying some dried vegetables, betel nut (<i>doma</i>), dried cheese (<i>chugo</i>), and cordyceps is a textbook illustration of evidence. I am not stupefied to discover what the couple had in their luggage because, as we practice based on cultural rituals, they were carrying their friends' parcels, without knowing what was inside. However, the couple should have been aware of or informed by their agents that, for reasons of economic and food security, it is strictly prohibited to import plants and its products into Australia: </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: courier;"><a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/import/goods/plant-products" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a></span></p><blockquote style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/import/goods/plant-products" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">"Import of plants and their products from outside</a> </span><span><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/import/goods/plant-products" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Australia can risk introducing</a> </span></span></span><a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/import/goods/plant-products" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">weeds, pests and diseases. These can threaten</a> <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/import/goods/plant-products" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Australia's natural environment, </a><a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/import/goods/plant-products" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">our food security and economy"</span> </a>(Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry, Australian Government). </span></blockquote><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span></span><span> <span> </span></span>What I am appalled at is witnessing some of our media houses picking up stories about the incident. On the other side, people obsessed with social media blew off the roofs by scrolling through their social media feeds. And there, blind followers of social media assume the role of social media mouthpiece by further transmitting it. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>While sensitisation of the travel risks and prohibited items are important, reporting <i>credible </i>news is quite another. The incident where the couple was interrogated at the airport happened way back in 2013, which is roughly 9 years ago. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span> <span> </span></span>At a time when we are unable to contain the wave of confusion created in society by mass media, we as media consumers never take the time to weigh the</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"> amount of truth it contains, choosing instead to spread the already contaminated and diseased information. 6 years ago, I wrote my impression of<span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2016/11/citizen-journalism.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">citizen journalism</span></a><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> </span></span>where every citizen can take ethically active roles in reporting credible news. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span> <span> </span></span>Why can’t we adopt <a href="http://dorjiwangchuk.blogspot.com/2015/10/middle-path-journalism-conceptual.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0432ff;">Middle Path Journalism</span></a> (Wangchuk, 2018), a conceptual f</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "EB Garamond";">ramework for Bhutanese media developed by our very own communication scholar </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><a href="https://dorji-wangchuk.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0432ff;">Dr Dorji Wangchuk</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "EB Garamond";">? </span><a href="https://sk.sagepub.com/books/mindful-communication-for-sustainable-development/i716.xml" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0432ff; font-family: "EB Garamond";">(</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span style="color: #0432ff;">Full article link here</span></span><span style="color: #0432ff; font-family: "EB Garamond";">)</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "EB Garamond";">. This framework proposed based on 4Cs (Collectivism, Compassion, Commitments, and Contentment), which are very much rooted in our national developmental paradigm of Gross National Happiness (GNH) is simply intriguing and operational in our context. </span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span> <span> </span></span>Whether it is intended or unintended, the consequences created by the wrong media effect are colossal. We all have a responsibility to act as effective <i>gatekeepers</i>.<span style="background-color: white;"> </span>As I write this article, I remembered <a href="https://worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Education/Mass-Communications-An-Introduction-2nd-Bittner-1980.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bittner's (1996)</a> </span></span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">gatekeeper </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">definition: </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 56.9pt 6pt 1cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;">any person or formally organized group directly involved in relaying or transferring information from one individual to another through a mass medium (p.10)</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: x-large;">.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><a href="https://worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Education/Mass-Communications-An-Introduction-2nd-Bittner-1980.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bittner (1996)</a> mentions 3 gatekeeping functions of the mass media:</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "EB Garamond";"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 63.8pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">· Limit</span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 63.8pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">· Expand</span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 63.8pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: x-large;">· Reinterpret or Reorganise</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">Limit</span></b><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 25.1pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">Limit</span></i><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"> is restricting the quantity of something that is allowed or possible. The gatekeepers can limit the information that we get from mass media. Limiting can be done by editing or deleting the story. For example, editing the segment that is irrelevant or deleting the part of the information that is not suitable for the audience. </span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">Expand</span></b><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 25.1pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">Opposite to limit is <i>expand</i>. In this case, gatekeepers can provide a detailed account or version of the story by supplying facts, figures, or viewpoints, that are usually inaccessible to the readers. E.g., a news reporter attending the parliament debates or court hearings providing extra information about the deliberations. </span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">Reinterpret <i>/</i> Reorganise </span></b><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 25.1pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">In <i>reinterpret</i>, gatekeepers can rearrange the information. E.g., a reporter translating some foreign information to the local audience. </span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span> <span> </span></span>Whether it is the mass media or we as media consumers, we have the onus to cautiously perform each of these gatekeeping duties. People with objectionable purposes in the current technologically advanced world tend to: </span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 56.9pt 0.0001pt 42.55pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">limit</span></i><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"> the information that is relevant and necessary,</span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 56.9pt 0.0001pt 42.55pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">expand </span></i><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">the irrelevant and unnecessary and, </span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 56.9pt 12pt 42.55pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">reinterpret </span></i><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">the relevant to make irrelevant and necessary to be unnecessary. </span><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>The ball is in our court. Next time when we access or share the information, ask ourselves, have I got a good gatekeeping function? </span></span></p>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-57466247520938416922022-07-09T16:05:00.007-07:002023-09-09T15:45:46.767-07:00The Small Big<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>It is heartening to know that the Royal Government of Bhutan is <a href="https://kuenselonline.com/bhutan-embarks-on-small-hydropower-projects-for-energy-security/?fbclid=IwAR3w44ocUS4iP6T3JIjsPs44sYMCmSM8Rwq9C-Q6dFoOKP4vueb9bZXqDjY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">pursuing a mini-hydro project</span></a>. The fact that it will be owned and operated fully by native Bhutanese people makes it even more intriguing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>The undertaking may seem modest, but it is significant for a tiny nation like ours. It is high time, if not already too late, that we lead our venture rather than pulling on mega–projects. We have witnessed that most of our ambitious mega-projects that pledged electrifying employment and economic prospects after completion are still years away from getting done, costing astronomically to the government exchequer. That we need to rely on loans to fund the hiring of external experts and specialists for the construction of those mega-projects is even more distressing. In a Kingdom like ours that operates on a shoestring budget and where development plans are dominantly constructed based on donor aid, this harrowing phenomenon must be downright abolished, if not sagaciously addressed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQeFEUzeM_BsY-3GnSEHM2aCG-5LXR4q_ha-egb6I8x4lfpxbM8c-KA7s3ndWsYT5QRrK2broDD2VfC716vgdEi_rMFSe-OqEpvfFatLZpZNKVw7P5AmgvGOu7NzCAJm9i2m41NBuBb-XgH5GsxaibGeNfshgnaXfxXKHpKuw9bqS1TQJB82sUpN3-/s2204/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-09%20at%209.57.34%20PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1698" data-original-width="2204" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQeFEUzeM_BsY-3GnSEHM2aCG-5LXR4q_ha-egb6I8x4lfpxbM8c-KA7s3ndWsYT5QRrK2broDD2VfC716vgdEi_rMFSe-OqEpvfFatLZpZNKVw7P5AmgvGOu7NzCAJm9i2m41NBuBb-XgH5GsxaibGeNfshgnaXfxXKHpKuw9bqS1TQJB82sUpN3-/w640-h494/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-09%20at%209.57.34%20PM.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Image courtesy: Click <a href="https://kuenselonline.com/bhutan-embarks-on-small-hydropower-projects-for-energy-security/?fbclid=IwAR3w44ocUS4iP6T3JIjsPs44sYMCmSM8Rwq9C-Q6dFoOKP4vueb9bZXqDjY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LINK</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>The current initiative of the Royal Government to run small projects independently is a noble solution. We have all acquainted with the old cliche that <i>big things come from small beginnings</i>. Regardless of the magnitude of the project, this national assignment will irrefutably be a remarkable cornerstone for us. Venturing ourselves autonomously will benefit us to uncover gaps and identify needs of our own – focused on indigenous values and national interests. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>The time has truly come for us to consider for how long we should rely on donor nations. What objective should donors support us with their aid? <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>We often brag that most of our people have earned degrees in medicine, engineering, education, economics, and architecture from leading international universities. But what uses is that if we can’t use that education to improve our hospitals, construct roads and hydropower, establish the best curriculum, build the economy, or design things in our ways? <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>Do we utilise them meaningfully? Have we put them to use well? If not, when will we put them to use? <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333; line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>If not now, then when? <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333; line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>These are rising concerns that the prior generations of decision-makers should have acknowledged. The current generation should be increasingly worried about these challenges. If we persist to be complacent in our quest to develop solutions today, the following generations will also be vulnerable to these same issues. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333; line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>As a concerned citizen, this becomes a perturbing trend when we keep on banking other donor agencies for our developmental assistance. Every 5 years, we held elections – only to witness political parties boldly publicising freebies and pledging developments that often bank on the expertise and capital of unknown donors. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333; line-height: 32px;"><span> <span> </span></span>But who cares, after all, we are spellbound in getting everything free from the government, not realising that we are increasingly into external debt. Until last year, Bhutan has an external debt of </span><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/national-debt-at-nu-315-288-per-person/" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 32px;">238.4 billion</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 32px;"> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333; line-height: 32px;">which is almost Nu.315,288 per person. </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333; line-height: 32px;">🤔</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333; line-height: 32px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333; line-height: 32px;"><span> <span> </span></span>When I was undergoing the </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2018/05/a-different-crowning-achievement.html" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 32px;">Young Professionals Leadership Program (YPLP-6)</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333; line-height: 32px;"> at the </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2021/09/speaking-through-ethnomethodological.html" style="color: #954f72;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 32px;">Royal Institute for Strategies Studies (RIGSS)</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 32px;">,</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 32px;"> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333; line-height: 32px;">His Majesty the King stated that every one of us knows the fact that Bhutan is a very small developing country. But what we fail to realise is, how to take <i>advantage of that smallness</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333; line-height: 32px;"><span> <span> </span></span>If we commit <i>more</i> to serving with honour, dedication, integrity, and visions, for a nation that has only </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 32px;"><a href="https://www.nsb.gov.bt/" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;">763,249 people (projected),</span></a></span></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333; line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> everything is viable. We have a farsighted monarch to whom we can look for leadership guidance. We have adequate resources that we can use to construct national capitals. We have a prospective workforce, if entrusted and sincerely acknowledged, can be a potential indigenous architect in our nation-building process. </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333; line-height: 32px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>All that is required is that we start out small. As long as we keep taking baby steps with consistency and constancy, we will eventually be narrowing our distance toward realising the national goal of self-reliance. </span></span></p></span><p></p>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-76550024413183454802022-06-14T07:51:00.026-07:002022-12-19T03:52:20.376-08:00The Green Monarch<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 5pt 78.15pt 5pt 42.55pt; text-align: justify;"><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.nab.gov.bt/assets/templates/images/constitution-of-bhutan-2008.pdf" style="color: #954f72;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #0432ff; font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span> <span> </span></span>Article 5 of The Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan (2008)</span></b></a><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #0432ff; font-family: "EB Garamond";"> </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333; font-family: "EB Garamond";">states that, </span><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #0432ff; font-family: "EB Garamond";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333; font-family: "EB Garamond";"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 5pt 78.15pt 5pt 42.55pt; text-align: justify;"><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 7.3pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "DDC Uchen"; line-height: 28px;">གཞུང་གིས་</span><span style="font-family: "DDC Uchen"; line-height: 28px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "DDC Uchen"; line-height: 28px;">རྒྱལ་ཁབ་ཀྱི་རང་བཞིན་ཐོན་ཁུངས་ཚུ་གི་སྲུང་འཛིན་དང་ སྣོད་བཅུད་ཀྱི་གནས་</span><span style="font-family: "DDC Uchen"; line-height: 28px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "DDC Uchen"; line-height: 28px;">ལུགས་དེ་ལུ་ཉམས་ཆག་ཚུ་ སྔོན་འགོག་འབད་ནིའི་དོན་ལུ་ འབྲུག་གི་ས་ཆའི་ཁྱོན་བསྡོམས་</span><span style="font-family: "DDC Uchen"; line-height: 28px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "DDC Uchen"; line-height: 28px;">ལས་ཉུང་ཤོས་བརྒྱ་དཔྱ་དྲུག་ཅུ་ཐམ་པ་</span><span style="font-family: "DDC Uchen"; line-height: 28px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "DDC Uchen"; line-height: 28px;">དུས་དང་རྣམ་པ་ཀུན་ཏུ་ནགས་ཚལ་གྱི་ཁྱབ་བརྡལ་འོག་ ལུ་འཛིན་སྐྱོང་ངེས་གཏན་འཐབ་དགོ། </span><span style="font-family: "DDC Uchen"; line-height: 20px;">༼འབྲུག་གི་རྩ་ཁྲིམས་ཆེན་མོ</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "DDC Uchen"; line-height: 20px;">, </span><span style="font-family: "DDC Uchen"; line-height: 20px;">༢༠༠༨</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "DDC Uchen"; line-height: 20px;">, </span><span style="font-family: "DDC Uchen"; line-height: 20px;">ཤོག་གྲངས ༡༦༽</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "DDC Uchen"; line-height: 13px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 24px; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 7.3pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "DDC Uchen"; line-height: 20px;"></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 24px; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 7.3pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-AU">“</span>The Government shall ensure that, in order to conserve the country’s natural resources and to prevent degradation of the ecosystem, a minimum of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">sixty percent</span></b><span style="color: #00b050;"> </span>of Bhutan’s total land shall be maintained under forest cover for all time<span lang="EN-AU">” (</span>The Constitution of The Kingdom of Bhutan<span lang="EN-AU">, 2008, </span></span><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;">p. 12)</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 24px; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 7.3pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 5pt 78.15pt 5pt 42.55pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCQs_fuu5DUA3sGGQ_e6OjavGONupYHfZO84-4qGRFPm3fhLeuoWjbzeI4Py9I9sq0pz-Uufp67fsSQMfXXzCQCx8F-hqiGg2BYWGsUdGGHxl-9ZjpssqrTYhdGZBGlNNNNeEjEZyA1loqPKVBBE-0XZmCb05XuJ4uyqF0AYejZgra8KxhIWi6Moh/s1924/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-16%20at%2010.43.30%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1778" data-original-width="1924" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCQs_fuu5DUA3sGGQ_e6OjavGONupYHfZO84-4qGRFPm3fhLeuoWjbzeI4Py9I9sq0pz-Uufp67fsSQMfXXzCQCx8F-hqiGg2BYWGsUdGGHxl-9ZjpssqrTYhdGZBGlNNNNeEjEZyA1loqPKVBBE-0XZmCb05XuJ4uyqF0AYejZgra8KxhIWi6Moh/w400-h370/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-16%20at%2010.43.30%20AM.png" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><a href="https://www.af-info.or.jp/en/blueplanet/introduction.html#text-01" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">2022 Blue Planet Prize for His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuck</span></a>: Courtesy; Click <a href="https://www.af-info.or.jp/en/blueplanet/introduction.html#text-01" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LINK</a></span><br /><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>In keeping with the mandates of the Kingdom’s Constitution, today Bhutan reportedly maintains more than 74 percent of the country under forest cover in the form of sanctuaries and parks. There is no wonder that Bhutan contributes to the system of rich biological corridors in the world, absorbing the highest carbon footprints. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333;"><span> <span> </span></span>Despite being an economically developing nation, </span><a href="https://www.climateaction.org/news/bhutan_the_worlds_only_carbon_negative_country" style="color: #954f72;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #0432ff;">Bhutan is the first carbon-negative country in the world.</span></b></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #0432ff;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB">More than 6 million tonnes of carbon are absorbed annually although Bhutan produces only 1.5 million tonnes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span> <span> </span></span>Thanks to </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2014/11/v-is-for-veterans-day.html" style="color: #954f72;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #0432ff;">His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the fourth Druk Gyalpo</span></b></a><span lang="EN-GB">, who was the pioneer in drafting our unique constitution guaranteeing 60 percent forest cover for future generations. </span><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #0432ff;"><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-international-day-of-happiness.html" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;">Conservation of the Environment</span></a></span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #0432ff;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB">is one of the four pillars of the </span><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #0432ff;"><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-international-day-of-happiness.html" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;">Gross National Happiness</span></a></span></b><span lang="EN-GB">, a developmental paradigm promulgated by His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuck in <b><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2022/06/the-gnh-ambassador.html" style="color: #954f72;">1972</a></b>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333;"><span> <span> </span></span>The </span><a href="https://www.af-info.or.jp/en/" style="color: #954f72;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #0432ff;">2022 Blue Planet Prize</span></b></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333;"> conferred by the </span><a href="https://www.af-info.or.jp/en/about/" style="color: #954f72;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #0432ff;">ASAHI Glass Foundation</span></b></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #0432ff;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333;">in Japan, is His Majesty the King’s fourth international honour for prioritising environmental preservation alongside the nation’s economic development.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333;"><span> <span> </span></span>His Majesty the King was awarded the “Champions of the Earth’s Award” in 2005 for his pioneering efforts in environmental stewardship. The </span><a href="https://support.worldwildlife.org/site/DocServer/FOCUS_JanFeb07.pdf;jsessionid=00000000.app20046a?docID=361&NONCE_TOKEN=98008A5333D760910CB89E16E5DA4909" style="color: #954f72;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #0432ff;">J Paul Getty Conservation Leadership Award</span></b></a><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #0432ff;"> </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333;">was conferred to His Majesty the following year. Later that same year, His Majesty received the Earth Hall of Fame, Kyoto Award from Japan.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>Bhutan is truly fortunate to have been blessed with a Monarch like His Majesty the King. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333;"><span> <span> </span></span>Elsewhere, we read history and saw nations fall apart due to power struggles and megalomaniac leadership. In Bhutan, His Majesty the 4th King renounced his Kingship in 2008. To provide early Kinghood know-how, the visionary monarch King Jigme Singye Wangchuck paved the way for </span><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #0432ff;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/KingJigmeKhesar" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;">His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck</span></a></span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333;">, the then Crown Prince of Bhutan. Today we have been bestowed with the King of unparalleled quality. The same year, democracy was introduced in Bhutan.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><b><span> <span> <span> <span> <span> </span></span></span></span></span>Long Live Your Majesty</b>. </span></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-17850907379210851742022-06-06T05:18:00.009-07:002022-12-19T03:55:05.089-08:00The GNH Ambassador<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>There are some people in our lives who we celebrate seeing on a routine basis. Even if there are no obvious reasons for our desire to see them, their charismatic qualities, personalities, and wisdom frequently influence us to automatically follow them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span> <span> </span></span>Lynchoen</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jigme_Thinley"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Jigme Yoezer Thinley</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">, </span></span><span lang="EN-AU">Bhutan’s first democratically elected Prime Minister, is one such personality to me. I began to </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2016/03/hero-worship.html"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">hero-worship</span></span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"> </span><span lang="EN-AU">his excellency ever since I was able to use my education to understand and conceptualise what great human beings are made of. Even now, his charismatic leadership qualities, sharp wisdom, and unwavering commitment to serving his country for decades – both inside and outside the border – fascinate me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>Lynchoen Jigme Yoezer Thinley became the brand ambassador for Gross National Happiness (GNH) in 2008, following Bhutan's smooth transition to a constitutional democratic monarchy. He travelled extensively around the world in his capacity as the nation's elected leader to spread the message of GNH and inspire and motivate world powers to embrace it. In 2011, he proposed that 'Happiness' be added to the 9th Millennium Development Goals on behalf of his King and the country.</span><span style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> </span></span>His excellency has kept a low profile about his whereabouts since stepping down from politics. But thanks to </span><a href="https://lerabling.org/lang-en/"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lerab Ling</span></span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">, </span><span lang="EN-AU">a leading Tibetan Buddhist centre in Europe, for hosting a live event where I was able to listen to his excellency's wisdom once more. Listening to His Excellency speak on the topic of </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHp8c1iSqqc&t=34s"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ecological Resilience in Gross National Happiness</span></a> <span lang="EN-AU">was enlightening.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>The link to the video is here: </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHp8c1iSqqc&t=34s"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHp8c1iSqqc&t=34s</span></span></a><span lang="EN-AU"></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-international-day-of-happiness.html"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span> <span> </span></span>G<span lang="EN-AU">NH</span></span></a><span style="color: #333333;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;">is a holistic</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"> d</span><span style="color: #333333;">evelopmental approach of</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"> Bhutan that </span><span style="color: #333333;">ensures economic wealth along with emotional, spiritual and psychological needs in place.</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"> GNH is composed of 4 pillars: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><b>Pillar 1</b>: </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333;">Sustainable and Equitable Socio-Economic development</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333;"></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><b>Pillar 2:</b> </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333;">Preservation and Promotion of Culture<span class="apple-converted-space">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333;"><b>Pillar 3:</b> </span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333;">Conservation of Environment<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333;"><b>Pillar 4: </b>Establishment of Good Governance.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span> <span> </span></span>These </span><span style="color: #333333;">four pillars</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"> are further divided into </span><span style="color: #333333;">9 domains and 72 variables employed. The 9 domains are</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">1. </span><span style="color: #333333;">Living standard</span><span style="color: #333333;"><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">2. </span><span style="color: #333333;">Health<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">3. </span><span style="color: #333333;">Education<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">4. </span><span style="color: #333333;">Time Us</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">e<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">5. </span><span style="color: #333333;">Psychological well-being</span><span style="color: #333333;"><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">6. </span><span style="color: #333333;">Community Vitality</span><span style="color: #333333;"><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">7. </span><span style="color: #333333;">Ecological Diversity and Resilience</span><span style="color: #333333;"><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">8. </span><span style="color: #333333;">Culture Diversity and Resilience</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #333333;"><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">9. </span><span style="color: #333333;">Good Governance</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2014/11/v-is-for-veterans-day.html"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> </span></span>GNH is the </span>brainchild</span></a><span style="color: #333333;"> of His Majesty </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">the </span><span style="color: #333333;">King</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"> Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the fourth King of Bhutan. Almost 6 decades ago in 1972, </span><span style="color: #333333;">His Majesty the King</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"> envisioned that all </span><span style="color: #333333;">kinds of economic developments</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"> in his Kingdom must equally balance the elements of the </span><span style="color: #333333;">spiritual, mental, psychological, and emotional well-being of the people.</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"> That is why, shortly after his enthronement, His Majesty the King declared that </span><span><span style="color: #333333;">“</span><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product</span></b><span style="color: #333333;">”</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">. </span></span><span style="color: #333333;">His Majesty the King </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">was well aware that t</span><span style="color: #333333;">he ultimate aim of every human being was <b>happiness</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>Happiness, which was proposed by Bhutan during the 65th session of the UN General Assembly in 2011, has become a much sought philosophical commodity since the UN adopted it as the 9th Millennium Development Goal (MDG). On the 12th of July 2012, the United Nations unanimously declared March 20th as International Happiness Day, recognising this paradigm of development as practical and imperative. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>As a citizen of the country who aspires to happiness both for oneself and others, I share the pride in hero-worshipping the leaders who work to carry out the wishes of their benevolent monarch and, in the end, give their best to make the world a better place to live in.</span></span></p>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-90290756859881803082022-05-24T16:20:00.021-07:002022-12-23T15:01:27.839-08:00An Unfortunate Malapropism? <p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>The headlines of this news initially gave me the wrong impression and played a part in a misunderstanding. I got the impression that it was relaying a confusing message, as though something was about to crash at Paro airport.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span> <span> </span></span>Reading it over and over brought back memories of my time as news Editor for the <i>Kalapinka</i>, the media group at Samtse College of Education, in 2007. </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">One of the facilitators during the workshop I attended at the time told us that as news reporters, we must write ordinary news with extraordinary headlines that are both catchy and intriguing to the readers. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #212529; letter-spacing: 0.15pt; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>I am not sure if this news is intended to entice the audience to read it. However, the way the words were used to create the news sparked a flurry of social media discussion. I had the impression that my interpretation of the news and the public's reactions to it on social media seemed parallel. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>I would have preferred reading something like "Hands-on Training on Aviation Safety" since it was a preparatory drill provided to brace for any mishaps related to air transport systems. After all, the news was all about being prepared in order to keep air travel safe.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #212529; letter-spacing: 0.15pt; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAdGDA-FGBz-7RUJ2UVtpll6YVeQh9McBlb-nnD1Mtf1UUDkuGnG9S9kcMnpwn6UjlAjqxsvgduO8v4soW0X3q9DMwqCcCjmJI4exiBYpUQamN4ZjxKYtyHcWkDeSeZcfTDpKfxubJ8FQJSpjKNaP-b7nzN9hEpiritcNHfreJ223pIlWnwBHE9yP/s2828/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-28%20at%209.17.18%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1894" data-original-width="2828" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAdGDA-FGBz-7RUJ2UVtpll6YVeQh9McBlb-nnD1Mtf1UUDkuGnG9S9kcMnpwn6UjlAjqxsvgduO8v4soW0X3q9DMwqCcCjmJI4exiBYpUQamN4ZjxKYtyHcWkDeSeZcfTDpKfxubJ8FQJSpjKNaP-b7nzN9hEpiritcNHfreJ223pIlWnwBHE9yP/w640-h428/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-28%20at%209.17.18%20AM.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Ready for a crash at Paro Airport: Courtesy click <a href="https://kuenselonline.com/ready-for-a-crash-at-paro-airport/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LINK</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span lang="EN-AU" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #212529; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; letter-spacing: 0.15pt; padding: 0cm;"><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #212529; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; letter-spacing: 0.15pt; padding: 0cm;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpjRF9DIxrA3KOKUPdIoNW35tynNWAviD3Km7zfhNzaP07fO8i58bQmwK5f7WUrUfLX7ayRZIzg5r_-8Kl03bTfTpGDpvgUiLvn8x7poPkkLXKqcQgPVqQ-jjUaPYLDRPwQd4PyE01omawaXqTrcu6_2GnlrNHxfuayyi3GEpEiH-yuoVbAQQVAiy/s1684/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-26%20at%209.45.24%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1684" data-original-width="1642" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpjRF9DIxrA3KOKUPdIoNW35tynNWAviD3Km7zfhNzaP07fO8i58bQmwK5f7WUrUfLX7ayRZIzg5r_-8Kl03bTfTpGDpvgUiLvn8x7poPkkLXKqcQgPVqQ-jjUaPYLDRPwQd4PyE01omawaXqTrcu6_2GnlrNHxfuayyi3GEpEiH-yuoVbAQQVAiy/w624-h640/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-26%20at%209.45.24%20AM.png" width="624" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">160 comments<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RvgphGyJPPNpw_5rXycTXqjZYQKekBmE_8j9pwEVTE8g_wHi3bV7tiKaSo2pAVfp7k7AhE-WNxgFhvG-cv8SU6xwUIN9MzW7w7gZP7AsAD_9ETbd7fKw0kP0z9qjMxOHVhFRlsjkA0JthUPMdALUHspRtFRmxYqN9LRQTTCpmdaXDvzFCeT-QMrg/s1832/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-26%20at%209.46.03%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1832" data-original-width="1386" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RvgphGyJPPNpw_5rXycTXqjZYQKekBmE_8j9pwEVTE8g_wHi3bV7tiKaSo2pAVfp7k7AhE-WNxgFhvG-cv8SU6xwUIN9MzW7w7gZP7AsAD_9ETbd7fKw0kP0z9qjMxOHVhFRlsjkA0JthUPMdALUHspRtFRmxYqN9LRQTTCpmdaXDvzFCeT-QMrg/w484-h640/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-26%20at%209.46.03%20AM.png" width="484" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Social media trolls </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-37276660027264336542022-05-19T07:10:00.003-07:002022-05-19T07:12:17.816-07:00Coughing Durkheimian Lines<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">One <span lang="EN-AU">of my students, to whom I taught physics, recently congratulated me on taking<a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2022/04/stay-hungry-stay-foolish.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> a brief spotlight on national television</span></a>. I relayed my appreciation to the student for remembering to applaud me. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Here is the filament of our communication: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Me: You have a better and brighter future la. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> All the resources, energy, exposure, and your capacity. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> Capture the world’s attention! <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 72pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -72pt;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU">Student: </span>“Yes sir, the world awaits in it’s full potential and beauty. But seeing the system so corrupted and handicapped, who so ever wishes to be a member of this greater world finds no little peace. <b><u>To believe in oneself is just a blame and shame to itself</u></b>. But, with profound wisdoms of you all, the battle seems a bit of fun”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 72pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -72pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 72pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -72pt;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Me: Wow. So philosophical. Are you not Durkheim?</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -72pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3pycoyNNyIdKPTOsxhG3_b_jGXGlRh2BcN226aMj9TpFPQ8xX8HugSA_MmAKBe94xyjKHmQlajkf3hFEbjmkAcc9o_xaj0Jj8tNcZltzUrirZTHjUY3XQ4mgbmAArnFmZOG76aX5fVdqCAIZyojXOvw28gMMpePMHBTcXgSYlwZtT5-f4isPdl0fL" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1978" data-original-width="920" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3pycoyNNyIdKPTOsxhG3_b_jGXGlRh2BcN226aMj9TpFPQ8xX8HugSA_MmAKBe94xyjKHmQlajkf3hFEbjmkAcc9o_xaj0Jj8tNcZltzUrirZTHjUY3XQ4mgbmAArnFmZOG76aX5fVdqCAIZyojXOvw28gMMpePMHBTcXgSYlwZtT5-f4isPdl0fL=w298-h640" width="298" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">A screenshot of our communication material </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></div><span><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">My students congratulating me on my relatively insignificant milestone did not overwhelm me. I actually offered in my <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2022/04/stay-hungry-stay-foolish.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">previous post</a> </span>that I would script a poignant admiration and acknowledgement deeply committed to my students. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: x-large; text-indent: -72pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: -72pt;">I am incredibly aware of my students. They were the only potential witnesses who genuinely </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: -72pt;">understood my role as a teacher in the last 12 years of my teaching career. Without the </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: -72pt;">wick of their motivations to learn, it would have been impossible for me to light the flame of</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: -72pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: -72pt;">meaning in my life. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: x-large; text-indent: -72pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: -72pt;">However, this time, I was intrigued by one of my students’ correspondences during our brief chat. If one has </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: -72pt;">read about </span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: -72pt;">Émile</span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: -72pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: -72pt;">Durkheim</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: -72pt;">’s sociological contributions, one can easily understand why I have </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: -72pt;">underlined one of the sentences in my student’s correspondence.</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: -72pt;"> The student coughed a Durkheimian language. So profound from a higher secondary school student. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: x-large; text-indent: -72pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: -72pt;">I will come back to it later. For now, my purpose is to archive this wisdom laden material that can </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; text-indent: -72pt;">be recycled for future use. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><br /></p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif;"><br /></span></p>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-73986482498207494792022-04-08T16:34:00.045-07:002023-09-27T15:57:33.077-07:00Making the Headlines<div><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: x-large;">I have always lived by the principle of my life: </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">"Does not always have to be a rose to smell sweet</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMsdpNZQ3fKeoMiYE1Q7psxaZz_fCCVXGEZndLImIX2ALED2FBMgnEaFLdK44JldZFT7m3lsUiDS59Sx42sVvrl7Jt3Yh4g0NsfBN8eSxVfoets9mlQt7QgG0h3jjyTJQpV2I2lAUia396qF3yKtEHiEdiemmRnkwDlBjusD5EnlBh1vyP4sMT596/s2438/Screen%20Shot%202022-04-23%20at%209.14.56%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1958" data-original-width="2438" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMsdpNZQ3fKeoMiYE1Q7psxaZz_fCCVXGEZndLImIX2ALED2FBMgnEaFLdK44JldZFT7m3lsUiDS59Sx42sVvrl7Jt3Yh4g0NsfBN8eSxVfoets9mlQt7QgG0h3jjyTJQpV2I2lAUia396qF3yKtEHiEdiemmRnkwDlBjusD5EnlBh1vyP4sMT596/w640-h514/Screen%20Shot%202022-04-23%20at%209.14.56%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;">I was able to appreciate the beauty of my life by adhering to this principle. It has kept </span></span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">the <i>positive </i>and <i>meaningful </i>momentum in my life moving forward. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: x-large;">Today is the second time I made headlines in the media. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU">The first one was in 2002, when I received the 3<sup>rd</sup> Prize for the coveted Fukushima organised<span style="color: #2b00fe;"> </span></span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2022/01/one-decade-down-more-to-go.html"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">National Level Essay Competition for High School Category</span></span></a><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> </span>when I was in grade 11. With just a week away from the Final Home Examination (which I gave only the secondary focus) and even as a science student (usually with fractured limbs of linguistic competence), I was able to achieve this feat. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJhtDQ0B43Ogo2Q3ut3SdVBgqcWzLwPdMxw3Q7j-ISoy1EhSPysJFiG9_kG5tU-LGcYb68bNnUWexqE4d7AHaKOEayd_nK8EWZp02-Q5wGPB2bS5hksMrJdkCpLhBjk5Qf0rt8P4KVKo56Gc7nZCIS-VzZnC-GWC48CCV7YMUqoPLFmUiR6KPbvgcs/s2050/Screen%20Shot%202022-01-22%20at%202.05.58%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1526" data-original-width="2050" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJhtDQ0B43Ogo2Q3ut3SdVBgqcWzLwPdMxw3Q7j-ISoy1EhSPysJFiG9_kG5tU-LGcYb68bNnUWexqE4d7AHaKOEayd_nK8EWZp02-Q5wGPB2bS5hksMrJdkCpLhBjk5Qf0rt8P4KVKo56Gc7nZCIS-VzZnC-GWC48CCV7YMUqoPLFmUiR6KPbvgcs/w640-h476/Screen%20Shot%202022-01-22%20at%202.05.58%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /><span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Making headlines today, for the second time, is nothing different to celebrate it. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU">The news was covered both in the Kuensel, </span><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/former-physics-teachers-science-model-receives-patent-in-thailand/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span lang="EN-AU">T</span>he National Newspaper of the Kingdom of Bhutan</span></a><span lang="EN-AU"> and </span>Bhutan Broadcasting Service Corporation Limited (BBSCL) - <a href="http://www.bbs.bt/news/?p=167531"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span>The state-owned TV and Radio service</span><span lang="EN-AU">.</span></span></a><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TRyPDHwLj_tV69BamyI2vVmQnB7p4Je6WzBwy4FQm9VXkEYt4TwLCtlCKgjCnLowNBn6FfGJjw8A-Pyc-l4Gbx90Jq2DnhPN4YDXeiFCbWPXPn0F3x6KN-3Nn8wLqEowStih_9FIaPpHzCMERYloZguo02uvC0mQ5HvGV28QnkXD-5ZpmmkmbBD6/s2510/Screen%20Shot%202022-04-23%20at%209.14.43%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1890" data-original-width="2510" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TRyPDHwLj_tV69BamyI2vVmQnB7p4Je6WzBwy4FQm9VXkEYt4TwLCtlCKgjCnLowNBn6FfGJjw8A-Pyc-l4Gbx90Jq2DnhPN4YDXeiFCbWPXPn0F3x6KN-3Nn8wLqEowStih_9FIaPpHzCMERYloZguo02uvC0mQ5HvGV28QnkXD-5ZpmmkmbBD6/w640-h482/Screen%20Shot%202022-04-23%20at%209.14.43%20AM.png" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Link to Kuensel<span lang="EN-AU">: </span><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/former-physics-teachers-science-model-receives-patent-in-thailand/"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">https://kuenselonline.com/former-physics-teachers-science-model-receives-patent-in-thailand/</span></a><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Link to BBSCL<span lang="EN-AU">: </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span><a href="http://www.bbs.bt/news/?p=167531">http://www.bbs.bt/news/?p=167531</a> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Link to YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kvd2-qYA5I">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kvd2-qYA5I</a> (Dzongkha at 2:04:15; English at 3:04:13). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='403' height='335' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxzaFycMTjq9Hcg8wZqb2wHAxrU8UoNI82XFQnY7eXIvwnyI-rprSRYIaTh1_d0TO3nHmDNZVZtbjS9EvBZ1w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>English News Reporting </b></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='397' height='330' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy9hoFSMxuFjKCB-bQSWKq6-F4jZQtmoEPobynYaGgkTVwIZjJUb1nvm1YG0rcEzTwucHn0yzHIoHkYr859MQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Dzongkha News Reporting </b></div><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><b>Award Background </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU">The model I developed during my </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2015/03/happiness-squared.html"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">master’s degree at Mahidol University</span></span></a><span lang="EN-AU">, Thailand has been granted a </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2021/10/after-waiting-for-circa-6-years.html"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">petty patent (18158).</span></span></a><span lang="EN-AU"> The patent will protect my work for at least 10 years. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_f2f5xVHhxc_AhqovYhTHSQG-DqZ42mpS612dslK2H33MwgFeMZXYkQj5P4Wxs_fIy70RidmOHFddJCpaRQf8g8zP0sOUtA0qLbcBH2ejqQLOmjZ7U_c3S_2OsDpzJ_yv_AqeXLN7SpuIW0wtfBHXtyBxNxuQrMmZpjo-a1NR-iQ0nc5cWYv3kFRE/s1600/sss.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_f2f5xVHhxc_AhqovYhTHSQG-DqZ42mpS612dslK2H33MwgFeMZXYkQj5P4Wxs_fIy70RidmOHFddJCpaRQf8g8zP0sOUtA0qLbcBH2ejqQLOmjZ7U_c3S_2OsDpzJ_yv_AqeXLN7SpuIW0wtfBHXtyBxNxuQrMmZpjo-a1NR-iQ0nc5cWYv3kFRE/w640-h426/sss.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/search?q=paisan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Speaking about the model: Thesis defence </a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">The details on the development of this low-cost hands-on model, its precision to demonstrate the law of conservation of energy, and empirical findings on its impact on students’ learning have been widely presented at the international conference and published Scopus- indexed journals.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2014/12/y-is-for-yahoo-its-another-chance.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9iP2-wDMD0O01cEH_J7D-bNuCMPymzJTE0H0EEu73sbq1e1npL9k6ai9YXhmG35GbtqHMc_9j75BEEPKJxax96ADBKuamTWSrabfMxNo5qQAPXJtlx_c4rMV_SRGaFCZfttRk6qbhJo171D3HZWoilo6hviquWBHHTrP_E7-1aO2VfsywKWwP91T/w640-h480/SPP.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2014/12/y-is-for-yahoo-its-another-chance.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Oral presenter at 40th Congress of Science and Technology of Thailand </a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Presented at the 40th Congress of Science and Technology of Thailand (STT40): <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325710045_A_Low_Cost_Hands-on_Model_for_Demonstration_on_Law_of_Mechanical_Energy_Conservation#fullTextFileContent"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325710045_A_Low_Cost_Hands-on_Model_for_Demonstration_on_Law_of_Mechanical_Energy_Conservation#fullTextFileContent</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Findings published in Scopus-indexed journals: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">1. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343944582_A_Guided_Inquiry_Laboratory_to_Enhance_Students'_Understanding_of_the_Law_of_Mechanical_Energy_Conservation"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343944582_A_Guided_Inquiry_Laboratory_to_Enhance_Students'_Understanding_of_the_Law_of_Mechanical_Energy_Conservation</span></span></a><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">2. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325709121_Development_of_a_hands-on_model_embedded_with_guided_inquiry_laboratory_to_enhance_students'_understanding_of_law_of_mechanical_energy_conservation"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325709121_Development_of_a_hands-on_model_embedded_with_guided_inquiry_laboratory_to_enhance_students'_understanding_of_law_of_mechanical_energy_conservation</span></span></a><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><b>Acknowledgements</b> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I owe a debt of gratitude for the achievement of this remarkable feat: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I am grateful to His Majesty the King for making education free in Bhutan. I was able to learn without having to worry about the bills or the opportunity to receive an education because it is made accessible to even the most remote places where I live. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Only the teachers in the school know how capable a student is, what interests the student, or which subjects the student excels in. I thank Dr Monamorn Precharattana and Dr Paisan Kanthang, my advisors for believing in me and supporting me throughout my studies. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I am grateful to all of my teachers, especially a few Indian teachers (Mr Giri, Mr (late) Srivastava, Mr Shiva Kumar, Mr Davis, Mr Shammy, and Mr K C Jose) who saw some chromosomes of science in me. My interest in science arose because of their classroom influence.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">My parents and family always kept me happy and supportive, even if I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth. They were crucial in helping me live the life of my dreams. It's all because of them that I'm able to do what I can. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Thank you to all of my <b>students</b> who congratulated me on this milestone. Students made up <span style="color: red;">99% </span>of those who openly acknowledged my innovation (excluding my parents, families, and relatives). My students, as usual, were more ecstatic about my modest academic reward. (<span style="color: #2b00fe;">When I have the time, I promise to script it in detail about it</span>).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> </span></span>May the Kenchogsum keep blessing those who keep faith in them, believe in themselves, and work consistently. </span></p></div>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-630718579324818242022-03-30T16:21:00.041-07:002022-12-19T02:34:40.875-08:00Preflection and Reflection<p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span> </span>Almost 4 years have passed since I successfully completed </span><span lang="EN-AU">the </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;"><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2018/05/a-different-crowning-achievement.html" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;">Young Professional Leadership Program (YPLP-6)</span></a>.</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"> YPLP is a four-week leadership program offered for mid-career professionals who work in different public, corporate, and private sectors. Young public servants are given this opportunity based on their merit and potential to become future leaders. The course is developed to offer participants access to emerging and pertinent issues that are of national concern. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span> </span>Even though I have never had a leadership position, as a newbie mid-level civil servant who joined the likes of my colleagues who were mostly leaders, I always consider concluding this course to be one of my life’s proudest milestones. Because I was selected through several rigorous screening procedures for this program initiated by </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;"><a href="https://www.rigss.bt/w/page/11" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;">His Majesty the King</span></a></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">, being an alumnus of this institute is one </span><span style="color: #333333;">of </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">the</span><span style="color: #333333;"> most decorated </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">and life-changing experiences in </span><span style="color: #333333;">my life</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>The 28-day course included a number of assignments, one of which was to compose a letter to one’s future self. It was meant to serve as a self-evaluation tool to see if we were transitioning on the right trajectory with reference to our ambitions and goals. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>I am uncertain if I am moving in the right direction. But one thing is evident – I am conscious of what I learned at the <a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2021/09/speaking-through-ethnomethodological.html" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;">Royal Institute for Governance and Strategic Studies (RIGSS)</span>.</a> Despite the fact that I am neither a management expert nor a leadership pundit, I make up for my lack of experience with my keen eye for detail.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>I conform to every proposition I made in the letter to my future self. I consistently put what I have learned at the RIGSS into practice. Most saliently, as a Buddhist, I always tailor my thoughts and conduct to embody the inherently Bhutanese ideals of <i>dagmed </i>(Selflessness), <i>tenchingdrelwa </i>(interdependence), <i>ley Judre</i> (Karma), <i>tha damtsi </i>(integrity), and <i>Jampa dang nyingje</i> (loving-kindness and compassion). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>I have always vowed to make sure that I do not become a liability even if I cannot contribute anything positive to my family, society, or the Kingdom. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 13.8pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtl1B4MgmsEEI4Kwg9RUWOCa_lZr01k9MlwpHl3hqHXTQDxeLf-MYqxVvPZrI_RL8egF_UNkToIdl2RTU1TqGfw9S6gwDsfPwK2NGFWuKXyAVN9jIzCjL7bTfvczW-bqB8d9iUdvldo_31-KnOFdoWmVIoskfDtrS75QcdXT0jGK-f3ugGFsan14PA/s1548/1.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1548" data-original-width="864" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtl1B4MgmsEEI4Kwg9RUWOCa_lZr01k9MlwpHl3hqHXTQDxeLf-MYqxVvPZrI_RL8egF_UNkToIdl2RTU1TqGfw9S6gwDsfPwK2NGFWuKXyAVN9jIzCjL7bTfvczW-bqB8d9iUdvldo_31-KnOFdoWmVIoskfDtrS75QcdXT0jGK-f3ugGFsan14PA/w358-h640/1.jpeg" width="358" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">The letter that I wrote to myself </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGL7YswUax4ZT-yAoo1iX4639KogdSfe56otEco0vqMaqW9N7tKRRNTar-_dFF1ZrNoYdHKvQFwWr3R0rYeF1ifPmmrQjg3vw556sjLWqN1ts97Da3F2rSZgQSinCBk1dC7bFRo1n9_4p84Bs4eZpYSbZK88eEeM81N2jxSmYqwAwO6JxG-Y_jpR4I/s1548/2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1548" data-original-width="864" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGL7YswUax4ZT-yAoo1iX4639KogdSfe56otEco0vqMaqW9N7tKRRNTar-_dFF1ZrNoYdHKvQFwWr3R0rYeF1ifPmmrQjg3vw556sjLWqN1ts97Da3F2rSZgQSinCBk1dC7bFRo1n9_4p84Bs4eZpYSbZK88eEeM81N2jxSmYqwAwO6JxG-Y_jpR4I/w358-h640/2.jpeg" width="358" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;"><span> </span>Here is what I wrote: </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0.0001pt 42.55pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";">31 March 2018 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0.0001pt 42.55pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0.0001pt 42.55pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";">Dear Dumcho, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0.0001pt 42.55pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0.0001pt 42.55pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";">As proclaimed by Shakespeare, ‘Brevity is the soul of wit’. Hence, I keep this note very short. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0.0001pt 42.55pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0.0001pt 42.55pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";">Learning is much better and more enriching in RIGSS. Should you absorb the world-class leadership courses, it's RIGSS that may fulfil your dreams. But most importantly, leadership courses without sincere practice would be futile. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0.0001pt 42.55pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0.0001pt 42.55pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";">Therefore, as you leave the institute after a period of a month, make sure to achieve the following stated activities and plan: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0.0001pt 42.55pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 42.55pt; margin-right: 42.75pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0cm 42.55pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";">Prepare and make a sincere practice on what you have learned from the RIGSS. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 42.55pt; margin-right: 42.75pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0cm 42.55pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 42.55pt; margin-right: 42.75pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0cm 42.55pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">b)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";">Information without sharing is no better than not knowing anything else. Hence, propagate the intrinsic values that are deeply rooted in our culture. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 42.55pt; margin-right: 42.75pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0cm 42.55pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 42.55pt; margin-right: 42.75pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0cm 42.55pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">c)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";">Leadership qualities are not just grown in workplaces. Cultivate such charisma right from the home itself. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 42.55pt; margin-right: 42.75pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0cm 42.55pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 42.55pt; margin-right: 42.75pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0cm 42.55pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">d)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";">Most of our thinking is tailored by the environment we work in. So, in a hostile environment that impedes your learning, ensure that you mobilise the leadership qualities you learned from RIGSS as a weapon for your survival. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 42.55pt; margin-right: 42.75pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0cm 42.55pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 42.55pt; margin-right: 42.75pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0cm 42.55pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">e)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";">Keep an account of how you have changed and travel a journey hence the RIGSS program. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0.0001pt 42.55pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0.0001pt 42.55pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";">Think of a small Kingdom Bhutan and work for its sovereignty. Love your King, people, and [the] country with dedication and loyalty. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0.0001pt 42.55pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 42.75pt 0.0001pt 42.55pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Courier New";">This would be a “Leadership of the Self”.<span> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
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</style></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";"> – <b>Dumcho Wangdi, YPLP-6</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Courier New";"><b> 31.03.2018</b></span></p><p></p>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-43277706926842553882022-01-30T17:06:00.051-08:002022-12-22T15:11:16.443-08:00Managing Out<p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitd_U_uOmv_hdlkYCe6Hiu3TSfFP8YA_FrB9fEwLX2pnSUO8hib1GhC2yV4FAj6ZAJqmjYXsB0qgyY9N8z7R2nVWcQUZIx9BK7sY4qSKbAgQWwTn2FyHJ7qF7C3hkdcdnVPzCIFJnn0tjavk3IlCZJ5AUqZPx7rO5HuRlIGma--983sGPPZJLkiGfK=s1650" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1650" data-original-width="1275" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitd_U_uOmv_hdlkYCe6Hiu3TSfFP8YA_FrB9fEwLX2pnSUO8hib1GhC2yV4FAj6ZAJqmjYXsB0qgyY9N8z7R2nVWcQUZIx9BK7sY4qSKbAgQWwTn2FyHJ7qF7C3hkdcdnVPzCIFJnn0tjavk3IlCZJ5AUqZPx7rO5HuRlIGma--983sGPPZJLkiGfK=w494-h640" width="494" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Press release from the RCSC: Click <a href="https://www.rcsc.gov.bt/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Press-Release-on-the-Outcome-of-Leadership-Assessment-Exercise.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LINK</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /><span><br /></span></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>If today’s press release by the Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) is credible, it appears that the RCSC has awakened from its long-term hypersomnia. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> </span></span>If the RCSC practically <b><i><span style="color: #c00000;">manage out</span></i></b><span style="color: #c00000;"> </span>the<span style="color: #0432ff;"> </span></span><a href="https://www.rcsc.gov.bt/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Press-Release-on-the-Outcome-of-Leadership-Assessment-Exercise.pdf" style="color: #954f72;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;">50% of the executives who failed to meet the expectations</span></b></a><span lang="EN-AU"> as conveyed in the report, it will be the beginning to end its laissez-faire attitude for leadership assessment they had thus far. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> </span></span>If the RCSC roll out a similar leadership evaluation drill in other segments of the civil service as declared in the statement, they have eventually realised their mandate in fulling the vision of ensuring </span><a href="https://www.rcsc.gov.bt/en/vision-mission/" style="color: #954f72;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;">Excellence in Service</span></b></a><span lang="EN-AU">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> </span></span>If the RCSC introduce this leadership appraisal right from their organisation and first, hold those RCSC members accountable for promoting those underachieving 50% of executives </span></span>(because it is the RCSC who is responsible for the selection and promotion of the executives)<span lang="EN-AU">, then they will have read between the lines of </span><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/translation-of-his-majestys-address-to-the-nation-on-the-114th-national-day/" style="color: #954f72;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;">His Majesty the King’s 114<sup>th </sup>National Day</span></b></a><span lang="EN-AU"> address. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>We have heard a plethora of stories about leadership crises happening in the left, right, and centre of civil service. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>We have witnessed the saga of management failures practically at every level. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>We have experienced a lack of transparency due to authoritative leadership. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>We have a history of leadership malfunctions that have ironically resulted in the dismissal of subordinates in some situations. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>We have evident examples of employees who have been denied career privileges because of selfish and opportunistic leaders.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>We have read stories of civil servants pouring frustrations, expressing a lack of faith in the system, and their active disengagement all due to autocratic leadership. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>We have foolishly sympathised with decent and honest people who lost their jobs while serving the nation under the tyrant leadership. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>We have consciously appreciated corrupt leaders in our organisation because the fate of our future lies in their signature. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>We have publicly sung a song of praises to those crooked leaders because it has become the accepted DNA of our culture if we wish to climb up the career pyramid and succeed in our professional life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>We have leaders who are habituated <a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2013/06/that-clean-is-dirty.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">running upstairs and running down people</span></a>. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>The list goes on. We don’t require hiring any foreign expats (as we often do) to examine this phenomenon. Neither do we need any subtitles to understand this catastrophe. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> </span></span>But what we need to understand is that, for a small Kingdom like ours where civil servants account for 4.05 percent of the total population, i.e a ratio of 1:25 (refer </span><a href="https://www.rcsc.gov.bt/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Civil-Service-Statistics-2019.pdf" style="color: #954f72;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;">December 31, 2019</span></b></a><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;">, </span></b><span lang="EN-AU">page 3</span><span lang="EN-AU">) that derives their monthly salary from the government coffer, this is costly. There is no room for complacency because we are playing in the stadium of the national coffer. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>However, post press release by the RCSC, some individuals opined that every one of us owes those executives gratitude for their long years of service. Long years of service? OK. But what virtue is it to preserve the broken roof if it does not function in protecting the house that contains valuable assets? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>I propose these perspectives with no malicious intent. But during the past 12 years of my service under numerous bosses, I have experienced this never-ending pandemic of leadership crisis in different working environments. The eyes awashed with tears always see things better.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>If the RCSC genuinely plan to reshape and revolutionise the structure of the civil service, we must first prune out the failing leaders instead of looking for ways to discipline subordinates. When the system is led by talented and perceptive leaders, change will be easy and obvious. A good leader should be a good follower first. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>This recent leadership assessment exercise by the RCSC, nonetheless, is welcoming and greatly needed, if not long overdue. This indicates that the RCSC has diagnosed itself as the prime player in cultivating this sickness and that now they are looking for a remedy to contain it before it is delayed. This clearly demonstrates that the RCSC recognised the flaws in their recruiting process that culminated in the selection of unsuitable candidates, necessitating the search for a newer and transparent approach to selecting the right candidates. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>However, if they fail to execute their own press release, it will also imply that they are a commission established to blame others for their own failures. A</span>s vouchsafed in this report, we anxiously anticipate the RCSC <b><i><span style="color: #c00000;">managing out </span></i></b><span style="color: #c00000;"></span>those failed executives transparently and immediately.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img class="img-fluid lazyloaded" data-src="https://kuenselonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Focuspoint_RCSC-shake-up-sourse-course-1.jpg" height="640" src="https://kuenselonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Focuspoint_RCSC-shake-up-sourse-course-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: start;" width="570" /></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">The image that speaks volumes: Courtest Click <a href="https://kuenselonline.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LINK</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>For now, the faculty of every Bhutanese sight and hearing are fixated on the RCSC to tune the frequency of their words into action. But none of us would buy this claim unless they demonstrate it in practice. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>We will witness again to gauge how competent they are in mitigating the mess of these leadership crises which they have created. Lest we forget, how we watched their bold action in removing </span><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/rcsc-removes-about-500-positions-in-civil-service/" style="color: #954f72;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;"> 500 positions in the civil service</span></b></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff;"> </span><span lang="EN-AU">– positions that afforded a modest living for many low</span><span lang="EN-AU">-income families; positions that they once established and dismantled altogether. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p></div>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-39346718824268214062022-01-26T04:00:00.016-08:002022-12-29T11:57:31.296-08:00FORM is Temporary, CLASS is permanent<p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>This metaphor is sporadically used in the sporting domain – precisely football. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>The underlying message in this statement is that great players are worth keeping on the squad, no matter how poorly they perform in that specific season. Because of their <i>class </i>of talents, they will do well again at some point. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>However, this statement has a very limited scope to operationalise in the actual world. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span> <span> </span></span>As footballing increasingly become 1% entertainment and 99% business, every movement of players during the match heavily costs the permanency of both the players and the coach.</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>While the description of players in terms of their <i>class</i> remains intriguing, club owners do not imbibe the luxury to prejudice the player’s <i>class </i>of footballing geniuses to recur. Neither bank on the ideals that a player’s <i>form</i> is temporary. This is one of the reasons why we frequently witness highly ranked footballers tossed into the auction yard – either in the middle or end of the season.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span><span> <span> </span></span>This declaration -<span style="color: #212529;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(33, 37, 41);"> </span></span></span></span><i>form is temporary, class is permanent, </i>equally applies to understanding several phenomena in our everyday lives as it does to the sporting world. <i> </i> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; color: #212529;"><span> <span> </span></span>I take the recent </span><span lang="EN-AU">song by Mr Hemlal Darjay as one classic specimen to decipher this metaphor. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> </span></span> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='399' height='332' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzJroElOwMqRCxvJ5cWmNvQwm8hEFGzg8NOP6HipdZ5jf-SWeeEk-f9PMDLBO4hqF688ATXadjV7338azpzMA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: large;">Click the link for the full version: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu6fbVbJ0yc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu6fbVbJ0yc </a></span><div><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Full version here (Added by Mr Hemlal, May 8, 2020): <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVnfqUNCje0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVnfqUNCje0</a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Original Song by Mr Rinchen Namgay and Ms Tshering Dolkar <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uUtvjE6Etc">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uUtvjE6Etc</a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>A few years back, Mr Hemlal was one of the contenders in the singing reality show. Almost every weekend during the show, he kept mesmerising audiences with his epic stage performance by showcasing his <i>class </i>of vocal endowment. For many, he became an instant singing sensation. But unfortunately, his <i>class </i>of singing power was short-lived after he failed to garner adequate voting support from the public. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>Outperforming fellow candidates in such singing battles is often overshadowed by the volume of people we know or the financially booming social circle we have rather than by the singing finesse one displays. This is one of the reasons why we periodically see people with genuine vocal talent crumble in singing competitions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>Audiences lack to comprehend that in a singing contest, the euphonous <i>voice </i>a person has is the <i>class</i>, and the voting technique used by the organisers to rank the contestants is the <i>form. <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>Footballers who are marketed to other teams because they lack <i>class</i> easily create magic at their new teams by reviving their footballing talents. They may not be the finest teams in the league, but their <i>class</i> of performance is unquestionably the best for leaving footprints in any stadium.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>Mr Hemlal may not have won the singing competition, but his <i>class </i>of singing maintains his blooming in the industry. While individuals who won the top singing prizes in numerous singing shows are mysteriously lost and remain unknown about their whereabouts, this guy is continually colonising every forum that demands singing potency. He has already shown that his mellifluous voice is the <i>class. </i>The form of a <i>class</i> that is permanent. </span></span></p></div>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-11238390602630963462022-01-21T20:29:00.015-08:002023-07-06T16:07:20.103-07:00One Decade Down; More to Go<p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">10 years before, on this day, I started blogging. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Thanks to the <b><a href="https://www.niit.com/authoring/Documents/Case%20Studies/Chiphen-Rigpel.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chiphen Rigpel Project</a></b>, the undertaking of the <b><a href="http://drukjournal.bt/druk-phuensum-tshogpa/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Druk Phuensum Tshogpa</a></b> Government, the first politically elected government of Bhutan. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKJZ5injK_fymqlugX-yE7u_IaWVttltLD3o9gAK_JPS19XXLTGPvG32LL5ucO_Be0Uq6EfmMnvIE-bueRY7nDNqipRaLLTPsRzxso_DNLUnc1j7dHSL3znsb90m01NNlqWtwDWOiEdaIlOWJfxVC0Ta5pzwPOTYQI19oder3Pj3ZkHHZPgCvVrhQW=s1584" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1584" data-original-width="1124" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKJZ5injK_fymqlugX-yE7u_IaWVttltLD3o9gAK_JPS19XXLTGPvG32LL5ucO_Be0Uq6EfmMnvIE-bueRY7nDNqipRaLLTPsRzxso_DNLUnc1j7dHSL3znsb90m01NNlqWtwDWOiEdaIlOWJfxVC0Ta5pzwPOTYQI19oder3Pj3ZkHHZPgCvVrhQW=w454-h640" width="454" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Chiphen Rigpel accreditation for participation <br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><i><span lang="EN-AU">Chiphen Rigpel</span></i><span lang="EN-AU"> was an ambitious project launched with the support of the Government of India in 2010, on the sidelines of the SAARC Summit held for the first time in Bhutan. As delivered through its motto, <i>Enabling a Society, Empowering a Nation, </i>it was a human capacity building project that provided ICT skills to empower citizens to be skilled in this ICT enabled world. More than 5000 teachers working across the nation attended the workshop for 10 days. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond"; font-size: xx-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">It was a blessing for me to have learned multiple things during this workshop besides knowing how to construct my page. Initially, I submitted my appeals to a few individuals who had a registered trademark as popular bloggers to assist me in building a blog for me, but to no effect. But it did not deter me to explore myself because I was internally drenched with a downpour of zeal and passion to create it anyway, anytime. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">After exploring it with the minimal ideas and resources at my disposal, I was efficacious in crafting one. Since then, I enjoyed baking pieces of literary stuff – albeit it is not as eloquent and material. Yet it is significant to me beyond compare. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU">Since my schooling, </span><span lang="EN-AU">I had prurience in </span>scribbling anything, anytime, anywhere. Even as a <span lang="EN-AU">s</span>cience student, I took a lead role in <span lang="EN-AU">several undertakings </span>that demanded linguistic capacities <span lang="EN-AU">– both at school and the College level. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU">In 2002, while I was in Year 11, I had the privilege to be one of the student editors (male) of the first school newsletter entitled, <b>Loden Rigsel </b>- the name I proposed. That same year, I won 3<sup>rd</sup> </span><span style="color: #333333;">place in National Essay Competition for </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;">High School category </span><span style="color: #333333;"><span lang="EN-AU">organised for the schools across the country. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxVKuivIAfoJYBre3q_ZKVMBaquyB08zDt5jqQ13rUcVCRUJEAXDb_Qw-G55jgFjdBR1rHAjr0OTKkWsAAlzkkX9BidnHg8AYWrdHQnGSYzYJ_TAZSeH8w8oRvU_QZUijaubw6U1_Q97Z62j3JR4Ge4QpuDd1cOGHXn2PRFnYB7WN0JhsWsAaJdyPB=s2050" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1526" data-original-width="2050" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxVKuivIAfoJYBre3q_ZKVMBaquyB08zDt5jqQ13rUcVCRUJEAXDb_Qw-G55jgFjdBR1rHAjr0OTKkWsAAlzkkX9BidnHg8AYWrdHQnGSYzYJ_TAZSeH8w8oRvU_QZUijaubw6U1_Q97Z62j3JR4Ge4QpuDd1cOGHXn2PRFnYB7WN0JhsWsAaJdyPB=w640-h476" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">3rd Place: High School Category Essay</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #333333;">At the Samtse College of Education, I was engaged as a student editor for the </span><i style="color: #333333;">Kalapingka </i><span style="color: #333333;">– the college newsletter. In 2007, I was the lead editor for 2 class magazines, </span><b style="color: #333333;">Fountain of Insights</b><span style="color: #333333;"> and </span><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2016/06/some-common-uncommon-whys-part-i.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Some Common Uncommon Whys</span></a> </span></b><span style="color: #333333;">launched under the leadership of Mr K C Jose (one of the most instrumental literary icons of my life). The same year, I initiated the publication of </span><b style="color: #333333;">An Oratorical Omnibus</b><span style="color: #333333;">, that archived assembly speeches delivered by teacher trainees in the college. I took the contentment in naming these two publications (Fountain of Insights and An Oratorical Omnibus). <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">In addition, I was granted the <b>Institute Prize for Valuable Contribution</b>, which is presented to trainee teachers who make significant contributions to the institution.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3-CIbKSBSOIxrLt6_E4jBOoe5o2W4e8k8Ed82rDvY0cBODS96ldsk_KYtWeVLnE8BXD5wSDCIOeT_mD77SnmybRRFVW7bOIw2eP6Kgn433ZL_j2lfJeYRmnMJ8hN9sGVza63b9HqnoFSkbhF6YiikzMHZCfhXs8eubznzbw_edZbGyP570q2bz1j4=s2074" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1394" data-original-width="2074" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3-CIbKSBSOIxrLt6_E4jBOoe5o2W4e8k8Ed82rDvY0cBODS96ldsk_KYtWeVLnE8BXD5wSDCIOeT_mD77SnmybRRFVW7bOIw2eP6Kgn433ZL_j2lfJeYRmnMJ8hN9sGVza63b9HqnoFSkbhF6YiikzMHZCfhXs8eubznzbw_edZbGyP570q2bz1j4=w640-h430" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Certificate of Merit: <b style="color: #333333; text-align: justify;">Institute Prize for Valuable Contribution</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgy6oDpqnbIge0I5jFt4zBNVOQx7wIa6UZiOCPCqgP378Z3LOivBa-4mbuFzXqXwo6-GsZgtvCPGwCeOBuBgqoLVdllZ3N99LGmbOfVa5GGxoPZqw-kCTER8QNnlvISbOk4jA5LLD0sCf3_NiwLc2CS89LoCwNbjIEUkHZFLtg0IOOMyy8JsJ0YW2MQ=s1280" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgy6oDpqnbIge0I5jFt4zBNVOQx7wIa6UZiOCPCqgP378Z3LOivBa-4mbuFzXqXwo6-GsZgtvCPGwCeOBuBgqoLVdllZ3N99LGmbOfVa5GGxoPZqw-kCTER8QNnlvISbOk4jA5LLD0sCf3_NiwLc2CS89LoCwNbjIEUkHZFLtg0IOOMyy8JsJ0YW2MQ=w640-h360" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">First class magazine: Some Common Uncommon Whys</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #333333;">This award was a boost to me as I was also conferred the </span><a href="https://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2013/06/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none_7025.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>F L Gorospe Prize for Academic Proficiency in B.Ed Secondary Science</b> </span></a><span style="color: #333333;">for securing the highest aggregate. It is an academic individual award to science teacher candidates who have continuously excelled in their studies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5Hbli-obfiRAeDycqKnVkHLfNYP4mj71JAM4_Z7wU4lnOFXDTVJBr2eW2S66Kfubp9OCPJq8PyRmFgu3Msw5bl0ycHLf2UULDy8xPk7CvTAjAS5xL7K-lYCwlKOxYeyqsVIYchTyhqVzQp-KHm86s2JdNHIup4FVFwR74WFUF-LcJHR43i9PrSqRd=s2050" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1374" data-original-width="2050" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5Hbli-obfiRAeDycqKnVkHLfNYP4mj71JAM4_Z7wU4lnOFXDTVJBr2eW2S66Kfubp9OCPJq8PyRmFgu3Msw5bl0ycHLf2UULDy8xPk7CvTAjAS5xL7K-lYCwlKOxYeyqsVIYchTyhqVzQp-KHm86s2JdNHIup4FVFwR74WFUF-LcJHR43i9PrSqRd=w640-h428" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Certificate of Excellence: F L Gorospe Prize for Academic Proficiency in B.Ed Secondary Science</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Before graduating from college, like many others, I was equipped with lofty ambitions and tall enthusiasm to put up my best in school. However, these resilient dreams were short-lived. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I was deployed into a remote Community Primary School that was driven with multigrade teaching approach. In multigrade teaching, a teacher tutors two grades that are housed together within a classroom. Teaching the subject that I was trained in (Secondary Physics) was completely out of a dream. I survived teaching everything except Dzongkha (national language) as there was one language teacher in the school. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Following that year, I was sent to a Lower Secondary School that required a science teacher. I got a chance to teach science to Year 8 students. By all measures, compared to my previous school, I found the students at the new school capable to do some serious academic work if I delivered my utmost support and guidance. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">I floated the idea of having a class magazine for my students. Students were excited because they would be engaged in such a literary task for the first time. We worked tirelessly for almost a year. But in the end, we could not publish it for some unknown reasons. However, with the support of my friend who had access to stationery and printing facilities, I printed one coloured copy and showed my students what it would have looked like. Not only the students were disappointed for the failure that we could not publish, but I was also equally engulfed with shame and disgrace. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">It was the first murder of my dreams! <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">In the following years, I attempt to breed my ideas but many of my opinions were often perceived as remonstrations. Any idea that originated from me who possessed a very limited working experience was witnessed unworthy to believe and unrealistic to follow. Constant insistence from my side was often deemed as being confrontational and provocative that on several occasions, I was subjected to numerous investigation teams – citing that I was not showing respect to the managers or being non-compliant. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU">Although I could not keep the momentum of literary works in school, back at home, I had my diary. But archiving everything in a diary was not secured in many forms. </span><span lang="EN-AU">I have written a lot of things and they have all gotten lost at some point. Consequently, I have been obliged to eye for a space online where I can landfill my writings and recycle them if required. This is how my blog was born. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">And here, I write it at my own pace and form. For ten years, I outlived by the motto of my blog: <b>Does not always have to be a rose to smell sweet</b>. For more years to come, I will cultivate this impetus to keep writing for the rest of my life. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-indent: 0px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="980" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwkuNdV3acIvxi-LfOFgpnePvGuAekqKTMMSKKc7oDl94hOlftqp3cScStd4hAtDnY-0dluZ_dG-nDLUwdo-S9wpvClwUnr5s5avcPnKct3JKOxf-3kf1-SKKhG4iC-HhMYPNK7C6QCw82cNeysUuIz05IK5rD7BYDuXKgBZeK82T5cIvlSLd8CLAJ=w640-h97" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Doesn't always have to be a rose to smell sweet<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-85227741454076645772021-12-29T22:23:00.024-08:002022-12-27T03:32:26.812-08:00Let’s TALK about SEX<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>The recent news of introducing </span><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; color: #0432ff; font-family: "EB Garamond";"><a href="https://kuenselonline.com/call-for-comprehensive-sexuality-education-to-be-included-in-curriculum/" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;">Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE)</span></a> </span></b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">as a part of the school curriculum by the Ministry of Education is much needed, if not long overdue. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span> <span> </span></span>During my brief stint as a science teacher – who involved teaching adolescents living at the age of n</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">umerous life-changing or sometimes life-threatening circumstances</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">, I identified the significance of making materials associated with CSE to be made more accessible in our learning institutions such as in schools. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>Empirical findings based on CSE were also orally presented in two national seminars held at teacher education institutes – one at Samtse College of Education and the other at Paro College of Education, in 2016 and 2019 respectively.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; color: #0432ff; font-family: "EB Garamond";"><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325709974_Adolescents'_Perception_of_Parental_Communication_about_Sexuality" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;"><span> <span> </span></span>Elsewhere</span></a></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; font-family: "EB Garamond";"> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">and 4 years back in my </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="background-color: white; color: #0432ff; font-family: "EB Garamond";"><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2016/11/sex-is-everywhere.html" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="color: #0432ff;">blog post</span></a>, </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">I have contended: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm 56.9pt 0.0001pt 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">“</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">Sex is everywhere. It has noticeably invaded the public square than ever before. Music is sexually toned while the music videos are highly galvanized with sexually explicit content. Songs postulated to produce quixotic flavour are genetically mutated with degrading lyrics that would either objectify feminism or reify the supremacy of masculinity. Advertisements and endorsements are increasingly becoming the brothels of obscenity by the growing use of immodest sexual imagery believed to elicit sexual responses and in so doing invite consumers. And almost intolerably, sex has developed itself into a language of social media that is understood by the culture of any origin.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm 56.9pt 0.0001pt 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0cm 56.9pt 0.0001pt 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">While sex has openly colonized practically almost every sphere of human space, it has undoubtedly remained injured after the collision of numerous existing cultural and religious taboos in discussing it within a family circle. Restrictions of these measures are highly detrimental that the adolescents are often risked to gather misconstrued knowledge and irrelevant myths from various sources that may be passed down to the generations</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">” </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBvi65C5wpEUU6GgdeKiIRHnDjrwP-v9__YeaW0CmusnTXkKimzBuppTWArBS8cvMCZu-So-0MMZVOO72ajOfPJB4HNyGt9V3W7yNYGWEllKLB2PVqDHGHBCjkWFBO6ouqx_-7cxx5PpjDi833Y6M1pjd2Hh202LFNeeKj_n3jF1NgEthX4DHreYIV=s2880" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBvi65C5wpEUU6GgdeKiIRHnDjrwP-v9__YeaW0CmusnTXkKimzBuppTWArBS8cvMCZu-So-0MMZVOO72ajOfPJB4HNyGt9V3W7yNYGWEllKLB2PVqDHGHBCjkWFBO6ouqx_-7cxx5PpjDi833Y6M1pjd2Hh202LFNeeKj_n3jF1NgEthX4DHreYIV=w640-h400" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">My presentation slides during the "Adolescent Sexuality and Wellbeing in the 21st Century", October 22-25, 2019. Paro College of Education </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><br /><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span> <span> </span></span>Adolescence is a </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">period of human development that is often confronted with </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">increased freedom to make choices</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">. Their </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">ability to confront these choices and make healthy decisions </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">are key </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">to development.</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span> <span> </span></span>It is our responsibility to offer the right </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">information and skills</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"> <span lang="EN-AU">for adolescents to navigate and m</span></span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">ake informed choices</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"> <span lang="EN-AU">for their reproductive </span></span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">health and </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">general </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">well-being</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"> <span lang="EN-AU">– both </span></span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">physiological</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">ly </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">and psychological</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">ly. </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"> </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>Despite the evidence that it is necessary and valuable, materials on CSE are not easily accessible. In a cultural setting like ours, CSE is frequently confined to the conversation inside our home premises. Because it is so delicate and sensitive, many parents avoid it and find it intimidating. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span> <span> </span></span>According to the literature, some parents are concerned about encouraging early sexual experimentation by arousing sexual interest in their children, if they commence open talks about sexuality with them. In our scenario, </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">many </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">of our </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">parents shy away from communicating about sexuality with their children. </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">In some cases, some parents </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">feel ill-equipped</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">, </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">hesitant, or afraid of talk</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">ing</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"> about </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">CSE</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>Because we grew </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">up in a cultural setting </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">that</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"> did not </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">encourage us to </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">talk about anything related to sexuality or reproductive health</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">, we </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">generally feel unknowledgeable and uncomfortable</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"> </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">talking with our children, thus resulting in the same trend of rearing the children in the same way </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">we</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"> were brought up. </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">I found this </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">trend of </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">prohibits not only </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">predominantly</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"> </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">visible </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">but highly worrying. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>The existence of such </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">cultural and religious barriers in discussing sexuality with adolescents </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">may lead to the growth of </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">numerous negative health consequences</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"> that would be life-threatening to our kids – which </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">may be otherwise avoidable</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">. A gap such as this can be </span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">minimi</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">s</span><span style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">ed by initiating consistent open communication about sexuality with children</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>Being aware of this practice, I used to discuss sexuality with my pupils in class, in addition to academic obligations. As a science teacher, it was a huge benefit to me because I didn't have to feel embarrassed about discussing reproductive health or concerns linked to CSE. As a result, I encouraged them to speak up openly, which inspired me to investigate adolescent-parent communication regarding sexuality in the Bhutanese setting. And that's how I learned that our parents say, NO to talk about SEX with our children.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>Given that I wanted to put CSE sexuality education into the spotlight of conversation from the perspective of the school environment, I endeavoured to find a platform where key stakeholders could hear it. But only a handful take interest to listen, even though our society is rapidly amassing a wide variety of sexual risks, including, but not limited to, sexual harassment, sexual abuse, sexually transmitted illnesses, sexual orientation (LGBTI), rape, and suicide, to mention a few.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>Let alone individuals who are out of my work circle appreciate my tiny efforts, several of my immediate bosses supplied me with hitches in freeing me to attend conferences — on the pretence that I would miss class. Approval to attend any academic conferences was first, difficult to get, and if approved, took a very long time for mysterious reasons. Regrettably, the same boss who restricted my move to attend such academic meetings has submitted my research papers for his promotion </span></span><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">— <span lang="EN-AU"><span> without my consent </span></span>and was successful after a 9-year wait — despite the fact that he had no research publications.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>This narrative is not designed to be a protest. No! by any means. It is my grievance and regrets that I have been so dedicated and loyal to our culture of respect and <i>tha-damtsig </i>(committed leader-subordinate relationship). Thinking back, at times, I feel that our leaders exploit loyal and industrious individuals and utilise them as promotion mules widely, instead of nurturing them. Our leaders at times, want us to perform better in life, but never better than them. No! by any means. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "EB Garamond";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>But nothing is permanent, and it is worthwhile to move on. And now here I am – away from them and near to my dreams. </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-43248367699665803412021-12-10T05:22:00.017-08:002023-08-30T15:17:24.858-07:00Your Problem is Your Problem <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span><span> <span> </span></span>The vexatious part of politics is that during the election campaign, every political enthusiast – or politico-maniac as neologism may define it – propagandise the slogan:</span><span> </span><b>Your Problem is My Problem</b><span>. Post elections, when one is at the helm of power, the same words, or actions, manifest to demonstrate that</span><span> </span><b>Your Problem is Your Problem.</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>Whether those lines are crafted on the spur of the moment or with the intention of hilarity, the recent commentary by the Minister of Education about the teacher transfer was grossly unwelcoming. As a figure who has dominion over the Ministry, speaking illogically at this magnitude inside the august parliament house only signals how scornful and contemptuous we are regarding the already dwindling veteran teachers that are triggered predominantly by the miscarriage of deployment business and tsunamis of faltering avowals from the Education Ministry.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> <span> <span> </span></span></span></span>On the one hand, we bellow of teacher attrition as grave educational anxiety that demands the immediate engagement of different stakeholders to moderate the injury to our education system. On the other hand, when we hit on the right cord to discuss within the circle of the nation’s prime lawmakers, we lampoon with hypothetical and impracticable metaphors thereby, only rubbing salt to the injury. This <a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2021/11/teacher-attrition-and-retention.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">paradoxical fascination of teacher attrition and retention</span></a> has now become a phenomenon in Bhutan that </span><span lang="EN-AU"><b><span>everybody knows but nobody really knows</span></b></span><span lang="EN-AU">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>By status and power, parliamentarians are the privileged populace that has the closest access to His Majesty the King’s visions and aspirations. Listening to their discussions, however, gives the impression that they are still thousands of miles away, for they appear to have never hearkened to the Royal vision for education. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> <span> <span> </span></span></span></span>If what we heard is correct, questions for any MPs are filed a week ahead of time before addressing them in the National Assembly. One week is a lavish amount of time for anyone to research and generate meaningful data, especially when it comes to the issues surrounding teachers. After all, the syndrome of teacher deployment crisis and its consequences continued as one of the immortal issues in the cellar of educational forums for over decades now. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>History has it that issues such as quality of education, teacher deployment, teacher workloads, and improving teaching environments were on the catalogue of discussions since the evolution of the Annual Education Conference almost 2 decades ago. Closely following, every annual education conference held until today still recites this same inventory. With inconspicuous outputs from these conferences every year, it has now largely camouflaged as the Olympic event of the Ministry of Education, held annually for school leaders to review the same issues that emerged many moons ago. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>What we fail to realise when we arrange a conference of such scale are the cumbersome costs it has to the government coffer – especially to the Kingdom like ours that runs on a shoestring budget and where development plans are predominantly conceived based on foreign aid. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>If we as citizens are seriously concerned about these national educational disasters, even if we cannot discover the pill to cure it, by now, we would have generated some indigenous prescriptions to nurse the cause. In the simplistic sense, it is time that we attend to these issues seriously and practically rather than throwing gibberish opinions. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0Iwh-Y-iUA95T7Nq5sm8_9M346Ay6NK2l0z8MzVUH_TZ3AJ-BMJrPzrpMh1oNdcIYBywoHhpiBFXXhPvxlUH8b6WbEBFqz3pMVsqVFTbJ8ZY40aievGMAC8jQajdRnqb9JPtK4qPXBI/s1714/ssssss.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1416" data-original-width="1714" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0Iwh-Y-iUA95T7Nq5sm8_9M346Ay6NK2l0z8MzVUH_TZ3AJ-BMJrPzrpMh1oNdcIYBywoHhpiBFXXhPvxlUH8b6WbEBFqz3pMVsqVFTbJ8ZY40aievGMAC8jQajdRnqb9JPtK4qPXBI/w640-h528/ssssss.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Image courtesy: Click <a href="http://www.bbs.bt/news/?p=160440" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LINK</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span><span> <span> <span> <span> </span></span></span></span>By the time I finished writing this perspective, the video had gone viral on social media, attracting over a thousand comments. Many people appeared to find it comical and hilarious, while others despised it for its hollowed viewpoint.</span><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2013/05/to-separate-certificate.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span><span style="color: red;">As a teacher who was disconnected from my family</span></a> due to this transfer whirlpool for eight years during my twelve years with the education ministry, I did not observe even a morsel of amusement or material in the discussion. In contrast, it resembled me more of a harangue or a sarcastic rage for the miscarriage of our education system. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> <span> <span> </span></span></span></span>Categorically speaking, even as </span><span lang="EN-US">a retired teacher, it aches my heart when people in higher social hierarchy taunt already impoverished teachers </span><span lang="EN-AU">who are taking the humongous role in architecting and engineering the future of our generations despite sterile work settings and </span><span lang="EN-US">withstanding the drought of societal succour. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> <span> </span></span></span>This inflicts me with a conviction that, teachers’ problem is teachers’ problem and nobody's problem. And that the erosion of teacher attrition will visibly perpetuate in the land of our education system. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-16118582652348041912021-11-02T16:23:00.035-07:002021-12-30T04:01:55.754-08:00Attrition and Retention: A Paradoxical Fascination<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">On the one hand, </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0W4cFKYWFJw6TPuzzAaivxSEUcU1-uCThgwMZpFfQNN8ahjIaie4yVsoflAJbuxOLXoMvfGXEL44sYuJuhPE6-JxGucLC9bjUbzHoX8XlTWGZ9wi2gx93MnQ7nXWuJvmhBmUzihLsAgw/s1714/Screen+Shot+2021-11-10+at+11.20.07+AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1416" data-original-width="1714" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0W4cFKYWFJw6TPuzzAaivxSEUcU1-uCThgwMZpFfQNN8ahjIaie4yVsoflAJbuxOLXoMvfGXEL44sYuJuhPE6-JxGucLC9bjUbzHoX8XlTWGZ9wi2gx93MnQ7nXWuJvmhBmUzihLsAgw/w640-h528/Screen+Shot+2021-11-10+at+11.20.07+AM.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">The figure showing teacher attrition landslide (Courtesy: Click <a href="http://www.bbs.bt/news/?p=160440" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LINK</a>)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">On the other hand, </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">.<b><span style="color: #800180;">..</span></b><span><b><span style="color: #800180;">those failing to meet standards might have to leave the profession</span></b> <a href="https://kuenselonline.com/teachers-to-be-assessed-for-proficient-standard-next-year/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(Kuensel, November 1, 2021)</a>. </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie5s0OunJcQT3ubffyDv95UIYC-Z1N2xzVZVa-s2Tnwj-0rtd0d-YaLZCVz9EDbczKVj06Qm83138THwIv0fzDGHJEYCTV5y3Ctp-MxH6vIScx_nnwRGwi_cmHEk0tDZCqnw8Y6Z2F2h8/s2202/Screen+Shot+2021-11-03+at+9.09.36+AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1444" data-original-width="2202" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie5s0OunJcQT3ubffyDv95UIYC-Z1N2xzVZVa-s2Tnwj-0rtd0d-YaLZCVz9EDbczKVj06Qm83138THwIv0fzDGHJEYCTV5y3Ctp-MxH6vIScx_nnwRGwi_cmHEk0tDZCqnw8Y6Z2F2h8/w640-h420/Screen+Shot+2021-11-03+at+9.09.36+AM.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">...those failing to meet standards might have to leave the profession</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> Bhutan Professional Standard for Teachers (BPST) document link: <a href="http://www.education.gov.bt/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/BPST.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Click here</a>. </span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8-u8u8fg0SrCqzcdGam9Yf1MwwnvGf_Jiz7Tc1izfMS9I_JrrhywqlkR-5iIJULt7BPSOwdWCl0TE-mVc0lNRM05sshf5tWCOMUVTwdJAbiXCqFYPaNn_0FwN1LGkfTBey81aMZUf2o/s1618/Screen+Shot+2021-11-03+at+9.27.57+AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1468" data-original-width="1618" height="580" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8-u8u8fg0SrCqzcdGam9Yf1MwwnvGf_Jiz7Tc1izfMS9I_JrrhywqlkR-5iIJULt7BPSOwdWCl0TE-mVc0lNRM05sshf5tWCOMUVTwdJAbiXCqFYPaNn_0FwN1LGkfTBey81aMZUf2o/w640-h580/Screen+Shot+2021-11-03+at+9.27.57+AM.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Continuum of Teachers' Career <a href="http://www.education.gov.bt/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/BPST.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(Courtesy: Link)</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxR0SZ-mmkMYJXfRAlZfqPR6AitnQkfQFMHonkhTZ8aG6BiZtmwVtkW2rof06vI2lqVFAKtiZeuPeVVQhuaL6oR8AkeL_yBh6UKDDx5hftLb3ZhOUN6QWIwq9jIApCkhoH-H1mjV_b0I/s2116/Screen+Shot+2021-11-03+at+9.28.12+AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1324" data-original-width="2116" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxR0SZ-mmkMYJXfRAlZfqPR6AitnQkfQFMHonkhTZ8aG6BiZtmwVtkW2rof06vI2lqVFAKtiZeuPeVVQhuaL6oR8AkeL_yBh6UKDDx5hftLb3ZhOUN6QWIwq9jIApCkhoH-H1mjV_b0I/w640-h400/Screen+Shot+2021-11-03+at+9.28.12+AM.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Career Stages <a href="http://www.education.gov.bt/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/BPST.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(Courtesy: Link)</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-7616005467625976642021-10-28T17:03:00.038-07:002023-01-13T15:16:17.788-08:00A Petty Patent in my Name<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> </span></span>After waiting for circa 6 years, The Department of Intellectual Property of Thailand eventually granted a Petty Patent </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10158574044921485&set=a.258048386484"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;">(Petty Patent 18158)</span></a><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #00b050;"> </span><span lang="EN-AU">that registers my name. This is one of the premier <i>remarkable</i> feats that I have achieved thus far! <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> </span></span>Indeed, it was glad tidings from </span><a href="https://scholar.google.co.th/citations?user=21o37koAAAAJ&hl=en"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;">Dr Monamorn Precharattana</span></a><span lang="EN-AU">, my Advisor during my candidature for a </span><a href="https://graduate.mahidol.ac.th/inter/?p=curriculum&id=7101M02G"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;">Master’s degree in Science and Technology Education</span></a><span lang="EN-AU"> (International Program) at Mahidol University, Thailand, who announced me through <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10158574044921485&set=a.258048386484"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Facebook</span></a> interface. Under her professional supervision and technical assistance of my Co-advisor, </span><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Paisan-Kanthang"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;">Dr Paisan Kanthang</span></a><span lang="EN-AU">, the Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon, we developed a </span><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325710045_A_Low_Cost_Hands-on_Model_for_Demonstration_on_Law_of_Mechanical_Energy_Conservation"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;">Low-Cost Hands-on Model to Demonstrate the Law of Mechanical Energy Conservation</span></a><b><span lang="EN-AU"> </span></b><span lang="EN-AU">as a part of </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2015/03/happiness-squared.html"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;">my thesis</span></a><span lang="EN-AU"> submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree in Master of Science in 2015. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNhaaIIU-NxvvckrnYXO9RYz7GDSxJYex5-X1YSuIUYSxxGcYE9BNHgkXfCfVZewSbo_YGTKGJizFKioJReRTb9vdP7JzO8AhxQ1pufcKjiVfQujPDpA3203bXdTqCvjxM8Ut_N7HezlzB31AjdSWWb6aP5yHzCpKlcUKUqX8lgxWHBlXkI-8_ZHAo/s1988/Screen%20Shot%202022-04-01%20at%207.08.17%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1528" data-original-width="1988" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNhaaIIU-NxvvckrnYXO9RYz7GDSxJYex5-X1YSuIUYSxxGcYE9BNHgkXfCfVZewSbo_YGTKGJizFKioJReRTb9vdP7JzO8AhxQ1pufcKjiVfQujPDpA3203bXdTqCvjxM8Ut_N7HezlzB31AjdSWWb6aP5yHzCpKlcUKUqX8lgxWHBlXkI-8_ZHAo/w640-h492/Screen%20Shot%202022-04-01%20at%207.08.17%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Patent No 18158</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>Like any other global education framework, our curriculum policies also identify learning scientific concepts through a constructivist approach with more emphasis on using hands-on learning (at least in the written documents). It is of paramount importance that students experience learning through materials that can be directly touched, felt, and manipulated to produce meaningful learning. By meaningful learning, I refer to a phenomenon where students can fragment complex and abstract scientific concepts into more concrete and clearer understanding within the classroom premises. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs11EqUFxF5K7WtRx3UxL-7Rp4dPBDoJbyBvWF7DRBxOYzjs-nvL76HxZPC1Stihk3uS3nCmzCnZSR4NdFm16V4atB-FA7qz_WZ2NuHkRJUSylFZscwe289WqfubHOXqq-69MA8M8GCEk/s3456/IMG_2561.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3456" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs11EqUFxF5K7WtRx3UxL-7Rp4dPBDoJbyBvWF7DRBxOYzjs-nvL76HxZPC1Stihk3uS3nCmzCnZSR4NdFm16V4atB-FA7qz_WZ2NuHkRJUSylFZscwe289WqfubHOXqq-69MA8M8GCEk/w640-h426/IMG_2561.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">A Low-cost Hands-on Model to demonstrate the Law of Mechanical Energy Conservation </span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span><span> <span> </span></span>Based on my experience as a former middle school physics teacher, I shouldered this onus because energy is one concept that is not only</span><span> </span><i>abstract<span> </span></i><span>but also largely</span><span> </span><i>misconceptualised</i> <span>by our students. Students must understand energy because it enhances their understanding in appreciating the nature of any physical phenomena taking place physically, biologically, or technologically. More importantly, it is only through knowing energy that students will be able to comprehend the Law of Mechanical Energy Conservation – a fundamental concept of any introductory physics – which is even more grossly misconstrued.</span><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>Based on these remarks, I contended in some of my publications that,</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: helvetica;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span><span><br /></span></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span><span>A similar trend of learning this concept [law of mechanical energy conservation] has been observed and found prevalent even in Bhutanese-based classroom situations… While teaching this concept [law of mechanical energy conservation], <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">our classrooms are still dominated by the conventional method of using theoretical and imaginary examples and illustrations provided in the textbooks</span></b></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b> </b></span></span><span style="color: #0b5394;">(</span></span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325746690_Development_of_a_Guided_Inquiry_Laboratory_to_Enhance_Students'_Understanding_of_Law_of_Mechanical_Energy_Conservation"><span lang="EN-AU">Wangdi, 2015:2</span></a><span lang="EN-AU">; </span><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325709121_Development_of_a_hands-on_model_embedded_with_guided_inquiry_laboratory_to_enhance_students'_understanding_of_law_of_mechanical_energy_conservation"><span lang="EN-AU">Wangdi, Precharattana & Kanthang, 2017;</span></a><span lang="EN-AU"> </span><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343944582_A_Guided_Inquiry_Laboratory_to_Enhance_Students'_Understanding_of_the_Law_of_Mechanical_Energy_Conservation#fullTextFileContent"><span lang="EN-AU">Wangdi, Precharattana & Kanthang, 2020</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span lang="EN-AU">,</span></span><span lang="EN-AU"> Emphasis added). </span></span></span></p><blockquote style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: EB Garamond;"></span></span></blockquote><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span><span><span> <span> </span></span>Teaching students with some impact has been one of my favourite passions and I considered teaching more than a profession. Despite tsunamis of denigration directed to me or in general for teachers, I worked industriously – which can be fathomed ONLY by my students. But I have a long history of wanting to bring contributions to action than mere texts.</span><span> </span></span><span> </span><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf868v6BDP7umVhpx5hfanWkJ_BNMLQ5lJSdnexCJhI4REmMUrqEdXh6IyqK419mXjh1ze_2FvhH5RhPrmS_GvTFiT08mH79mdkp7VEco0wI0YCvmklxT7u908eu9ivT1lkABGyZ6ZW68/s1606/Screen+Shot+2021-10-29+at+10.00.53+AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1606" data-original-width="1338" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf868v6BDP7umVhpx5hfanWkJ_BNMLQ5lJSdnexCJhI4REmMUrqEdXh6IyqK419mXjh1ze_2FvhH5RhPrmS_GvTFiT08mH79mdkp7VEco0wI0YCvmklxT7u908eu9ivT1lkABGyZ6ZW68/w534-h640/Screen+Shot+2021-10-29+at+10.00.53+AM.png" width="534" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">A theoretical illustration used in our textbook. Courtesy: Grade 10 Physics</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> </span></span>Some 14 years ago, on the night of December 17, 2007, I became the recipient of the most coveted </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2013/06/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none_7025.html"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;">F L Goropse Prize for Academic Proficiency in B.Ed Secondary Science</span></a><b><span lang="EN-AU">. </span></b><span lang="EN-AU">This scholastic accolade is awarded to the pre-service teacher candidate that demonstrates outstanding academic performance in a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Science Education Program. I was also adorned with the Institute Prize for Invaluable Contribution along with other laurels for champagning as the editor for <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2016/06/some-common-uncommon-whys-part-i.html">3 magazines</a> </span>– the first of its kind in the history of Samtse College of Education. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> </span></span>That evening at the (farewell) banquet, I had the pleasure of sharing the dining table with </span><a href="https://www.sce.edu.bt/dr-sonam-rinchen-assoc-professor/"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;">Associate Professor Sonam Rinchen</span></a><span lang="EN-AU"> (PhD) who was the precursor of the same honour in 1992. Of the sea of communication that betided during that lightning togetherness, I was amused to religiously encapsulate one of his best phrases: “<b>Let Your Work Speak, Not You”. </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>What a flywheel is to the machine, an engine to the car or nourishment to the starving, his words were for my continuance. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> </span></span>In many circumstances during my last 12 years of the teaching profession, when I sank so low in my life due to the </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2013/05/to-separate-certificate.html"><span lang="EN-AU">sickening</span></a><span lang="EN-AU"> </span><a href="https://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2013/06/today-my-life-begins_5325.html"><span lang="EN-AU">policies</span></a><span lang="EN-AU">, </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2016/04/a-ministerial-impulse-to-investigate_27.html"><span lang="EN-AU">fatiguing work nature</span></a><span lang="EN-AU">, </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2013/04/in-response-to-writers-workshop.html"><span lang="EN-AU">awful bosses,</span></a><span lang="EN-AU"> </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2015/09/why-enabling-conditions.html"><span lang="EN-AU">dilapidated working milieu</span></a></span><span lang="EN-AU"> or </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2018/12/misfortunes-and-milestones-of-2018.html"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;">snubbed acknowledgements</span></a></span><span lang="EN-AU">, his lines became the lifeline of hope, the mainspring of motivation, and slogan of enthusiasm to show my mettle. Keeping in mind Kopmeyer’s (2006:10) </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2013/06/over-compensation_317.html"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;">over compensation</span></a><span lang="EN-AU">, I withstood the test of every adversity. At best, I never trumpeted my works as Facebook stories even if it is efficacious, at least in the sense of garnering outcomes. Most </span>Facebook stories are more than eyes <span lang="EN-AU">can </span>meet.<span lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> </span></span>I survive by my life’s </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/p/home.html"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;">motto</span></a><b><span lang="EN-AU">: </span></b><i><span lang="EN-AU">Does not always have to be a rose to smell sweet</span></i><span lang="EN-AU">. I also travel on the road most travelled by gathering raw stones of ideas seen on the way that may glitter one day if charily polished. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> </span></span>That is how I presented my first academic paper during the 9<sup>th</sup> </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-yield-from-toothless-paper.html"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;">Siam Physics Congress</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span lang="EN-AU"> </span></b></span><span lang="EN-AU">co-hosted by the Thai Physics Society and some leading universities and research institutes based in Thailand, just 3 months into my postgraduate study. Like the primrose that heralds the beginning of spring, I boast this academic forum as a harbinger of my academic shoot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> </span></span>In 2014, during the 40<sup>th</sup> Congress of Science and Technology of Thailand held at Khon Kaen, Thailand, I marketed the idea of constructing </span><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325710045_A_Low_Cost_Hands-on_Model_for_Demonstration_on_Law_of_Mechanical_Energy_Conservation#fullTextFileContent"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;">A Low-Cost Hands-on Model for Demonstration on the Law of Mechanical Energy Conservation</span></a><b><span lang="EN-AU"> </span></b><span lang="EN-AU">– the result in the form of the petty patent that I have recently received. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span> <span> </span></span>2 years later, I recorded my first academic footprint in the </span><a href="https://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2016/06/making-into-its-maiden-publication.html"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;">maiden publication</span></a><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> </span>of </span><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325710061_Investigating_Chemical_Laboratory_Safety_Based_on_Students'_Ability_to_Recognise_the_Common_Laboratory_Hazard_Symbols#fullTextFileContent"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;">Educational Innovation and Practice</span></a><span lang="EN-AU">, a peer-reviewed journal of Samtse College of Education. This invitation by Dr Sonam Rinchen was another hallmark to set as a harbinger for a </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/p/publications_30.html"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;">few publications</span></a><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> </span>that I have under my belt </span><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dumcho-Wangdi/research"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #2b00fe;">today</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span lang="EN-AU">.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>Besides editing more than 15 theses on a pro bono basis, I have also reviewed some papers for International journals. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq90zoX6Nz0ZMtVt35YKEr53-doiMmyBHV9J_i6VWMZTf1ExKhOpgMoPKihl6fP_9x-BjQ4NWn6UdbddOo8RZAUpWibNVPlEMwFh-TOhRXgrjhfFR4lFY77enwOiI1wSA9ODYzL_xkWnA/s1542/Screen+Shot+2021-10-29+at+10.36.55+AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1542" data-original-width="1072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq90zoX6Nz0ZMtVt35YKEr53-doiMmyBHV9J_i6VWMZTf1ExKhOpgMoPKihl6fP_9x-BjQ4NWn6UdbddOo8RZAUpWibNVPlEMwFh-TOhRXgrjhfFR4lFY77enwOiI1wSA9ODYzL_xkWnA/w444-h640/Screen+Shot+2021-10-29+at+10.36.55+AM.png" width="444" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Acknowledgement Certificate for being a Reviewer. The title of the paper was removed for confidential purpose </span></td></tr></tbody></table><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span> <span> </span></span>But for now, I have the most obligation of all the responsibilities. I have gambled with my career to move the last mountain of my academic dreams that I always kept dreaming of. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">And yet, I still have ONE FINAL DREAM that I always keep dreaming of. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1044684726460662214.post-67339288430652651412021-09-25T16:37:00.013-07:002021-12-30T04:02:27.122-08:00Farming Self-Leadership First <p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0e101a; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;">In social science research, </span><a href="https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199671083.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780199671083-e-013" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #4a6ee0;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true">ethnomethodology</span></span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> (Garfinkel, 1967) is widely employed as a novel approach to analyse data that are often “seen but unnoticed”. I applied this strategy to communicate with my bosom buddy who was appointed as a school manager sometime last year but took over the helm of the school only at the beginning of this year. He was seeking some candid opinions from our circle of childhood friends – who never hesitate to disclose truth even if it is venomous in content – which he thought would have some bearings on him to mutate into a virtuous leader. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0e101a; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;">While I am neither a leadership guru nor possess any managerial familiarities, what I lack in experience, I make up for in observational acumens. Until I voluntarily bow out from teaching on 19 October 2020, I worked in 4 different schools (Community Primary School, Lower Secondary School, Middle Secondary and eventually at Higher Secondary School) during my duodenary stint as a science teacher. Within the span of those dozen years of my service, I worked under 7 school managers. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0e101a; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0e101a; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;">Considering those experiences and familiarities of working under different leaders, I supplied him some of my contextual understanding of a good Bhutanese school manager – opinions that were churned out through the lens of subordinates – which are often seen yet unnoticed by many of our leaders.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true"><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0e101a; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0e101a; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;">I have specifically unveiled <b>10 points</b> based on the events that were either experienced or associated with me or witnessed as a former school teacher. </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.rigss.bt" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="2666" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXfXt_eBruk6uzK4YEqPC64cG5IHCVf0yXGReaWoLinan-f8I5SKWp4DauVxvb72LqkudcdmfQ9GViOl3ytRJ7CMnqEhK2qTaN8A0Sl969ArSVtxqarQctuHlbuHQfw5pyXnyX9PNU6rA/w640-h282/rrrrr.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.rigss.bt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">Photo courtesy: RIGSS</span></a></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 19.933334350585938px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #073763;">1. Practise the Farming of Self-Leadership First </span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0432ff; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></strong></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0e101a; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;">When I attended the prestigious </span><a href="http://dumchowangdi.blogspot.com/2018/05/a-different-crowning-achievement.html" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #4a6ee0;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Young Professionals Leadership Program (YPLP)</span></span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> in 2018 at the </span><a href="https://www.rigss.bt/" style="color: #954f72; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #4a6ee0;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Royal Institute for Governance and Strategic Studies (RIGSS)</span></span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> which is a premier leadership institute and think tank envisioned by His Majesty the King in 2013, the first catch of my sight was on His Majesty’s words that read: </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true"><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0e101a; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;"><b></b></span></span></span></p><blockquote><span><b><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;">What we need is not a leader to lead the masses – we need leadership of the self</span></b></span></blockquote><span><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0e101a; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;">Very Profound and mesmerising.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0e101a; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;"><o:p><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0e101a; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;">During those 28 days of the intensive leadership program, we were consistently emphasised on changing ourselves first instead of looking for a change in others. The change of the world begins by changing ourselves first. We need to change our mentality, our habits, and our actions. These are the elements that influence the flavour of our character. What or how we cast in our mind frames the skeleton of our thought, judgement, and belief. </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true"><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0e101a; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0e101a; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;">Although it is easier said than done, but, if our thoughts and actions are not innovative and are rather obsolescent for the mass to consume, – even if we are at the helm of that institution – we should not hesitate to shut down the idea of manufacturing those ineffectual intentions. If we consciously control ourselves and have that mentality of leading the change in ourselves first, changing others under our control would not require any subtitles to understand. Imposing change in others using the force of our title and status will only homicide the motivation, positive mindset, and injure the health of the social bonds we share with others. </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true"><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0e101a; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true"><span style="font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0e101a; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;">Our social world is constructed in diversity – everyone having their own choice, mindset, and perspectives. Learn to respect others’ views and stop being judgemental even if they are young to understand, new to the work, or inexperienced, perhaps what or how they see the world may also turn accurate based on their standpoints. The attainment of such self-actualisation in oneself can be a good lever to pivot others into the direction of change. </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true"><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0e101a; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true"><span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0e101a; font-family: EB Garamond; font-size: x-large; line-height: 19.933334350585938px;">Leaders need to know that, by starting to lead yourself first, you are stepping on the first rung of the ladder to be a great leader. Self-leadership is all about how you lead your own life as much as you want to see yourself leading others. If we garnish our life with positivity, integrity, justice, compassion, or any other humane values, our environment is what we sow. The fertility of any leadership garden depends on how consistently one enrich with humus of values and principles. If we are a bad nutrient, the only environment we will yield is a barren land, if not, full of weeds. </span></span></span></p><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
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</style>Dumcho's NOTEBOOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02862695932130645633noreply@blogger.com1