The deployment of teachers to schools based on their specialisation (majors) has been identified as a priority since the first Annual Education Conference in 1997. However, this agenda remains unaddressed until now.
I wrote this article on April 17, 2008, prompted by my assignment to a Community Primary School where I was compelled to practice multi-grade (two grades in the same class) teaching. This was despite being a Secondary Science teacher with a specialization in Physics and no formal training in multi-grade teaching.
I submitted this write-up to the RABSEL, the CERD educational Journal, but my efforts were in vain. A person in charge responded: "We cannot compromise the quality of education by one person."
I clarify that this opinion piece is not intended to undermine the quality of education in Bhutan. It reflects my perspective, devoid of any derogatory intent.
Introduction
The Quality of Education in Bhutan has long been a subject of debate, with some dismissing concerns over its decline as unfounded and others attributing shortcomings primarily to teachers. Yet, these discussions often lack substantial research or fail to consider the lived realities of those on the frontlines – particularly the teachers. Drawing from my personal experience, I aim to shed light on the overlooked challenges within Bhutan’s education system – challenges that I encountered firsthand when I was abruptly thrust into the world of multi-grade teaching (MGT) during my first year as a teacher.
This is not a research paper, a report, or a policy critique. It is a personal narrative – a reflection on the lessons I learned and the struggles I faced as a secondary-level teacher trained in Physics and Health & Physical Education but deployed to teach a primary curriculum in a remote community school. With minimal preparation for MGT beyond a brief college session, I was forced to navigate a teaching model that demanded juggling multiple learning areas simultaneously – subjects far outside my specialization. This mismatch between my training and my assigned role left me feeling unprepared, anxious, and deeply disheartened.
The challenges I faced were not unique to me but reflect systemic issues that hinder the quality of education in Bhutan. Despite the government’s investments in MGT to address the needs of rural schools, the current approach often falls short. Training programs are brief and superficial, leaving teachers ill-equipped to implement MGT effectively. Meanwhile, trained professionals with relevant expertise are frequently assigned administrative roles or retained in the Curriculum Department rather than classroom positions where they are most needed. This misallocation of resources highlights a pressing need for reform.
In this article, more than recounting my experiences, it seeks to provoke thought and action. For aspiring teachers, it offers a glimpse into the realities of teaching in the remote schools of Bhutan and the importance of resilience and adaptability. For policymakers and stakeholders, it serves as a call to reevaluate deployment strategies and address systemic inefficiencies. At its core, this narrative underscores the need to support teachers, who remain the backbone of the education system, and to align training and resources with the actual demands of schools. Only by addressing these foundational issues can we hope to enhance the quality of education in Bhutan and meet the aspirations of our nation. But first, I begin by discussing the purpose of education in Bhutan.
Purpose of Education in Bhutan
Considering education as integral to the success of
development and to unlock the potential of its people, the Royal Government of
Bhutan has always attached a high priority and deep commitment to expanding
equitable access to schools, improving quality and strengthening the efficient
use of educational resources in pursuit of the goal of education for all (MDGoals: Progress Report 2002, 2003). A productive discussion of the purpose of
education must acknowledge that schools are established to serve both
individuals and the larger society. As such education must meet the needs of (a
changing) society and educate children in all their diversity for the
responsibilities of adulthood in a democratic society (NIE Paro and Samtse,
2005).
Education must influence the kind of society we
want to develop. In our context, qualities such as morals, values, knowledge of rights,
citizenship, tolerance, respect and even happiness have been identified as
important objectives of education (p.7). Dorji (2005:130) sees that the purpose of education is to help
children be knowledgeable, productive, contented and happy. Education must be guided by a holistic approach that focuses on the comprehensive development of the child and ensure the full realisation of each child's innate potential (Bhutan
2020).
The Royal Government has initially began the foundation of education based on western modern schooling. However, education in Bhutan has dominantly focused on knowledge acquisition, particularly the memorisation of structured information, organised within traditional subject areas (Thinley,
1999). Another
fundamental purpose was to familiarise people with basic skills in literacy and
numeracy.
Gradually, the establishment of learning centres across the country became increasingly widespread. The
steady growth of enrolment today can be largely attributed to the growing awareness of the importance of education. This progress has been further supported by the establishment of community schools, which has significantly reduced the distance students need to travel to access education (Bhutan
Millennium Goals Report 2002, 2003).
A drastic rise in the number of schools in the country
made the government realise and ‘ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere,
boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary
education (p.15). Quite fortunately, then and till now, ‘from the
age of six, every Bhutanese child has a right to eleven years of free ‘basic
education. This consists of one year of pre-primary school, six years of
primary school and four years of secondary school, which will take the child up
to class X (Black & Stalker, 2006:43). National targets indicate that attaining
universal primary education may be achieved as early as 2000 (Bhutan
Millennium Goals Report 2002, 2003:15). The gross primary enrollment is 102.1 percentage and the net primary
school enrolment is 79.4 percentage (boys-80 % and 79% girls), (Black
& Stalker, 2006:44). ‘The
gross primary enrollment rate has grown from 55 % in 1991 to 72 in 2000 with enrollment growing at
between 6-7% annually (Bhutan Millennium Goals Report
2002, 2003:15).
During
the subsequent decades and especially during the 1980s, the government
increased the number of schools offering education; by 2006 there were 349. It
also did so in an innovative and flexible fashion so as to arrive at the most
appropriate solution for reaching very scattered communities (Black &
Stalker, 2006). At this moment, a speech
delivered in an address at the 7th SAARC summit, Dhaka on April 10-11th,
1993 by our fourth king Jigme Singye Wangchuk is worth noting:
‘Were
it not for the large scale destruction of the schools, health centres and other
social infrastructure by the terrorists in our southern districts Bhutan would
have been in a position to achieve universal primary education …long before the
year 2000 (Bhutan Times Ltd, 2007:138)’.
Right now, Bhutan, as a member of the UNICEF, has realized a
full advantage as their plan advocated the far-sighted vision of our fourth
king. ‘One of the primary, UNICEF’s Medium-strategic plans for 2002-05 in line
with the child convention, spells out that a long-term goal of the UNICEF is
that “all children have access to and complete education of good quality
(UNICEF, 2003:1).
Relating Quality of Education
While not many seem to remain alert, cautious and watchful
of the terminologies defined, there has been a huge hue and cry over the
perceived decline in the quality of education in the country. Dakpa (2006:63)
in his survey report states that ‘it is in fact, difficult for anyone to make
generalizations on standards or quality, especially concerning education
without first having the term ‘standard’ or ‘quality’ adequately defined and
qualified. Without lucid comprehension and substantial
knowledge of its application, he fears that ‘perhaps without a least suspicion
that quality of education can be argued only within the limits of definitions
and validation of the terms used in the argument (p.63). Beeby
(1966:10) found it crucial to argue that, ‘nor, for that matter, were planners
all agreed on what constitutes quality in education, and they certainly had no
universally accepted method of measuring it’. This is true in our context where there is no precise definition of what constitutes quality or education, or both.
With the firm adherence to genuine research,
educationists consequently concluded that there lie no fixed standards and
indicators to evaluate quality. It is, therefore, considered unwise to apply
quality to education without a proper apology. In this essence, he explicitly
warns that ‘… an attempt to arrive at the definition of “quality” in education
would probably do more harm than good. For that matter, one of its underlying
themes is that the concept of good education varies, for all practical
purposes, with the stage of development of the system and of the teachers who
serve it (p.10). Karmel et al (1985) regard quality as a complex phenomenon
and its definition are multidimensional (in Dorji, 2005:180).
There are no simple ingredients that can be prescribed to
enhance quality in all situations and in any country. Quality is therefore a
relative term and depends upon the situation and time in which the education
system occurs (Dorji, 2005:180). It’s obvious that quality of education
connotes different things even amongst educators (Lhazom & Chhoeda,
2003:1-2). Yet, there is a total mistaken certainty in Bhutanese understanding
of both ‘quality’ and ‘education’. On a large scale, the meaning is
misconstrued and debated in vainglory without grounding its profound
etymology and usage. The interpretation has been a variable that withered in
itself the application without the discrepancy of its native significance. At
its disposal, there is a huge degree of variation and the degree makes the
difference.
In a similar essence, ‘education’ is conceived in both terms
of process and product and largely varies in its substance. Education, in its
lay Bhutanese connotation, explains a systematic and formal
institutional setting designed to regulate a change in behaviour and report
academic grading. While this would, in a pinch, spell the narrow concept of
its relevance, in a profound justice, the meaning would be academically
equivalent. Thus, it resides as a situational commodity witnessed with different understandings and is employed for varied purposes.
Peters (1981) agrees that ‘nevertheless, there are usages of the term
‘education’ which it would be difficult to encompass in any piece of
definition’. Therefore, the basic interpretation could be the acceptance of its
profundity and tangibility. It is in a way, simply abstract and a dynamic
entity. But he cautions that ‘this doesn’t mean, however, that there are no
criteria of ‘education’ which are co-extensive with most of its central usages.
It only means that terms in a natural language develop a life of their own and
send out shoots which take them far away from the central trunk of the
concept’.
As a result, there is still room for debate on the quality of
education. However, Beeby (1966) proposes that the quality of education may be
thought of at different levels, which is worth sharing.
At the simplest level
is the ‘Classroom Conception of quality’.
In the classroom understanding of quality, it is ‘quality seen by an inspector
of schools’ (p.10). Today, the inspector is replaced with supervisors, as it is
‘intended to convey an impression of professional leadership rather than
authority (p.10). He emphasizes that classroom conception…obviously embraces
such measurable skills as ability in the 3Rs, and the acquisition of a given
range of facts about history, geography, hygiene and the like. Less measurable
but equally acceptable are habits of industry, tidiness and accuracy and
attitudes for authority and love for the country (p.10-11).
At such circumstances, particularly for the classroom
conception of quality, ‘one index of a schools success in achieving some of
this humble but necessary ends it the speed at which pupils pass through the
grades and the number who achieve the final certificates, particularly if this
is warded as the result of an external test (p.11).
The second phase of understanding quality takes outside the
classroom. In the Market Place, ‘the
quality of education is measured by its productivity (p.11). He explicitly
perceives the fallacy of judgment on quality between an economist, a presiding
judge in the market and the schoolmasters. Thus, he remains firm that
economists…may show an interest in the relation between the ‘input’ and the
‘output’ of the school system as a measure of its immediate productivity and
efficiency, but he contuse to hanker for a criterion more directly related to
the economy (p.12). They are mostly questions of quantity, and because of his
training and detachment, he feels no discomfort in discussing them in purely
quantitative terms (p.19). For the educator, ‘experience has taught him that
quality is of the very essence of most educational problems, and he will become
increasingly unhappy in the new partnership unless questions of quality play a
bigger part in discussions of educational planning..(p.19). Fortunately, there
are signs that both sides are becoming aware that it is neither theoretically
nor practically possible to separate quality and quantity in attacking the
educational problems of emergent countries (p19).
Beeby’s third phase
of judging quality is ‘Broader Social
Criteria’, which incorporates sets of values with the inevitable clashes of
opinion. ‘At this level, everyone becomes an expert on education, and each of
us judges the school system in terms of the final goals we set for ourselves,
our children, our tribe, our country (p.12). This system of nomenclature is not
standardized by Beeby but is the basis from which the quality of a good
education is viewed. ‘It would be
easy to exaggerate the discrepancies that exist among judgments, at each of the
three levels, of what constitutes a good education (p.13). Wide variations
and prejudices are expected while defining the quality of education.
Quality Education in Bhutanese
Context
Over the years, there has been increasing
criticism about education and concern about the quality going down. Some of
these are prompted by nostalgia while others relate to subjective definitions of
quality (Lhazom & Chhoeda, 2003).
Whether the criticisms are crafted after accepting the tangibility of these
words is still mysterious. Beeby
(1966), for practical purposes, regarded to argue with first studying the
evolution of the system and the teachers who work within the system. Dorji (2005) relates to the ‘situation and time in which, the
education system occurs (p.180).
However, ‘the quality education in the Bhutanese context is
defined as the provision of wholesome education where the emphasis is placed not
only on reading, writing and understanding but on the all-around development of
all the individual (Lhazom & Chhoeda, 2003). On the whole, it means
excellence in academics is important while acquiring technical and
vocational skills is also necessary. Thus, ‘in our context…the attainment of
wholesome education is an indication of quality (Dorji, 2005:180).
Linking with Beeby’s propositions to understand quality,
our concept cannot quit befalling all levels. Within the classroom
conceptions, priority is on reading and writing, keeping in view the statistics
of students who pass the grades as a result of the external examination. Our
schools work within the framework of strict syllabus implementation and much of the product is viewed on how many children get through the examinations. Sometimes,
this reveals that ‘one standard measure of quality is the competencies
attained by children against a given set of educational objectives set in the
syllabus (Lhazom & Chhoeda, 2003:2). In the marketplace, the bigger ratio
of student graduates from the colleges and institutes for employment promotes
economic productivity.
Our education system is based on wholesome education, where the emphasis is
laid on a holistic approach incorporating the values and skills, easily
fulfils the Broader Social Criteria. ‘As they leave school, our young adults
should possess adequate knowledge of science and technology, of culture and
faith, of values and traditions and of ethics and good living. Apart from
these, we expect our young adults to have adequate skills to be able to deal
with the day-to-day challenges at their workplaces, to be gainfully employed
and to think critically and morally for the benefit of self and society. We
then might say that these constitute the quality of education in Bhutan (Dorji,
2005:180-1).
Five
Strategies in assuring Quality Education
The Eighth Annual
Education Conference (2004) held at Khuruthang, Punakha has discussed the five
strategies/ pillars to build quality education:
i. Quality infrastructure and facilities
ii. Quality curriculum
iii. More instructional time
iv. Enhancing wholesome education
v. Quality teachers
1.
Quality Infrastructure and Facilities
The essence of a good
school is characterized by the provision of quality infrastructure and
facilities for conducive learning. Only with the provision of quality
infrastructure, one may argue for a sound delivery of the pedagogical
instructions. Otherwise, the belief of ensuring quality education would be bleak and faltering, for the teachers won’t be equipped with the basic
necessities. Wangchuk (2008) writes, ‘once they are in the profession, teachers
must be provided with the right kind of professional tools and resources to get the
job done. That is to say that, if there are better working conditions for the
teachers, there will be better learning conditions for the learners. And that
will make all the difference’.
The assurance on
prioritization of quality infrastructure is definitely a connotation for
ensuring the ‘enabling conditions’ for the teachers at their disposal for the
sound delivery of quality education. Getting equipped with the modern amenities
will enshrine ‘pedagogy of enquiry’ so that teachers will not discover
‘knowledge as a commodity, which is transferable (NIE Paro & Samtse,
2005:11), but identify their presence in demonstrating children to discover
the innate potentialities-the fibre of their genetic gift.
Only with the
provision of appropriate and adequate teaching-learning accessories along with
ICT facilities, one may find it quite favourable to contest their opinions related
to quality. With these facilities in place, ‘the continuity of teacher’s own
education will ensure a dynamic school education. When teachers stop developing
their knowledge and skills, they will stop developing their students’ (p.43).
2.
Quality Curriculum
Parkey and Standford
(1998) defines curriculum as the experience, both planned and unplanned, that
enhance (and sometimes impedes) the education and growth of students (as cited
by Sherpa, 2007:6). In the mind of Grundy (1994), it is a ‘social construction
and that it is determined at particular historical times in particular
locations, within a particular society or even a particular school, according
to what is judged to be the most appropriate subject matter, learning
environment and ways of learning (as cited in Yeshey, (2007:21).
Morris (1995) understand
curriculum as a plan of activities that are carried out in a school to promote
the intellectual, social, physical and personal development of the learners (in
Dorji, 2005:41). While Dorji (2005) agrees that at the classroom level the
plan promises to fulfil the experiences, to acquire some level of knowledge
and skills enable them to serve their family the community and the nation in
the future’ (p.41). He conceives that ‘at the broader level it must also
reflect the national goals of economic development, social change, cultural and
spiritual values and above all the political philosophy of the country’ (p.41).
The curriculum is the blueprint of all learning experiences that take place
for the students in the school (CAPSD, 1996:6).
There isn’t any precise
and concise definition that can exactly encompass the meaning of the
curriculum. Therefore, ‘Quality curriculum’ is yet another taxing and daunting
connotation. Because ‘curriculum policies vary from country to country and are
generally determined by the social and political beliefs’ (Dorji 2005:44) a
successful curriculum is never always definable at all times. It is subject to
review from time to time so that it remains sensitive to the relative and immediate
needs of the present times.
‘In Bhutan the 1976
paper on education, though very brief, was perhaps the first curriculum policy that promised to maintain a close link
with the culture and tradition of the country while expecting the challenges
posed by the growing technological development in the world at large (Dorji, 2003:44). As a result, ‘the Division of Education is
responsible to provide a Nation Wide System of School Education which is:
·
responsive
to the expectations of the country;
·
relevant
to the needs and aspirations of the students;
·
efficient
in the use of available resources and;
· effective
in the achievement of high quality and sustainable educational programmes.
(The Purpose of Education in Bhutan,
1996:3).
3. More Instructional Time
To accommodate a
minimum of 180 days of instructional time, school starts on February 20th
instead of March 10th. This has been instituted since 2005
(Ministry of Education, 2006). The Eight Annual
Conference has further discussed the number of terms, start and end date of the
terms, and duration of the term break. They have made a resolution that only
two terms be instituted in all schools starting the 2005 academic session, which is
labelled as below:
First
Term: 20th February – 30th June
Second
Term: 1st July – 15th July
Third
Term: 16th July – 18th December
The normal classroom
teaching is started from the first day of the school term. The teachers report
to school on the 10th of February every year, and the school ensure
that the time fro9m the 10th to 19th February be used
towards achieving greater preparedness for the start of the session. (Eight
Annual Education Conference, 2004:11). Teachers spent most of their time in the
schools right from 8:00 A.M in the morning to 5:00 in the evening to ensure adequate instructional time.
4.
Enhancing Wholesome Education
Bhutanese
education is typical in nature in that it stresses the wholesome approach to child
development. While literacy and numeracy are deemed meaningful accessories of
education, the holistic approach with the provision of vocational and technical
skills useful for real-life situations are identified as exclusively
indispensable.
Wholesome in its
literal meaning pronounces a lot of influences that exhibit morally
good implications. Its attachment to the world ‘education’ promotes a denser
significance, as the education itself firmly speaks of bringing desirable
changes acceptable in the society-a relative term for self-enlightenment.
Dorji (2003:130)
shares that ‘the idea of wholesome education is to make students physically,
emotionally, and ethically sound’. It is ‘an effort to develop children
physically, morally and intellectually’ (p.132). At its general prospect, he
relates to a method of ‘preparing children to be good. This means that, in educating,
we make all efforts to help develop in children, all the qualities of goodness,
such as gratefulness, appreciation, respect, cooperation, compassion, love,
understanding, loyalty, dedication, honesty and truthfulness’ (p.131).
Making it more comprehensible
and culminating wider meaning, he asserts to ‘a definite purpose, that is, to
make the child literate, responsible, skilled, and mature and a productive
citizen’ (p.134). It ‘involves helping and guiding children to learn as they
grow and develop in body, speech and thought processes. It involves caring and
protecting them from all kinds of abuse and self-destructions and being
sensitive to their needs and feelings’ (p.138).
In any way, ‘the
essence of wholesome education is therefore giving children enough
opportunities to learn to grow in their knowledge, analytical skills, with
positive attitudes, culturally sensitive, socially responsible and physically
and morally sound citizens’ (p.159).
Bhutanese approach in
understanding wholesome education is unique, as it is ‘also interpreted as
inclusive, bringing together children with varying abilities to learn’ (p.133).
The education system fosters a balanced opportunity for children of diverse
abilities. Seven major learning areas have been widely accepted, with the aim
of blending academic abilities with skills and attitudes. The major learning
areas are:
1. Languages:
Dzongkha
·
Listening and speaking
·
Reading
·
Writing
·
Literature
English
·
Listening and speaking
·
Reading
·
Writing
·
Literature
2.
Mathematics
·
Mathematics
3.
Science
·
Science
·
Physics, Chemistry, Biology and
Computer Science
4.
Human
society and its Environment:
·
Environmental Studies
·
Social Studies
·
History, Geography and Economics
5.
Creative
and Practical Arts:
·
Visual Arts and Craft
·
Songs, dances and music
6.
Health,
Physical Education and Personal development:
·
Health and Population Education
·
Games and Sports
7.
Socially
Useful Productive Works (SUPW)
·
Agriculture and Social Forestry
·
Socially Useful Productive Works
(The Purpose of School Education in Bhutan.
1996, 6-7).
5.
Quality Teachers
While all of the above
strategies strongly accounts for assuring quality education, an analysis of the
fifth strategy, ‘Quality teachers’ in a great deal would seriously uncover the wider meaning of this writing.
The PROPE team
(1995:54) has a remark that ‘if any single factor can make the difference
between a poor school and a successful school, it is the commitment and
initiative of the teacher (as cited in Dorji, 2005:68). So, ‘whether there are
adequate resources or well-written curricula, it is the teacher who ultimately
matters for improving the entire system of education (Dorji, 2005:182). A
teachers’ work will make the difference in the success or failure of an educational
innovation… Teachers are morally, intellectually and emotionally an integral
part of the process of teaching and learning (Dorji, 2000 as cited in Dorji,
2005:68).
Therefore, it is
vividly reasonable to bring into the limelight the current trend of the teacher
status in Bhutan. Even in a well-equipped school with quality infrastructure,
standard curriculum, and adequate instructional time, if the quality teacher
is not warmly recognized, would endure mediocre results. Hargreaves (1994:11)
argues, ‘unless profound attention is paid to the processes of teachers
development, improvement in buildings, textbooks, materials, technology…would
result in little achievement (as cited in Dorji, 2005:70). Teachers are, therefore, crucial and critical agents in the sound delivery of quality
education.
The quality of
teachers according to Beeby (1966) depends strongly on two factors, ‘the level
of general education of the teachers’, and ‘the number of training they have
received, (as cited in Dorji, 2005:71). Dorji (2005), on the other hand,
proclaims that ‘there are two other points that affect the teacher quality at
their workplace. One is the condition under which they work including culture,
leadership and management in the school. The other is the development opportunity
that the teachers avail themselves of during their career (p. 71).
Being one of the
pioneer Bhutanese educationists, he understands that, ‘in Bhutan, teacher
quality also depends upon the conditions in which they work. It is in improving
qualifications and the conditions for working that a teacher-centred policy has
been initiated. One’s emotional capacity is also a determinant of the quality
of a teacher (p. 86-7). Bhutanese
teachers lack serious emotional vigour and most of the time, they are put
under pressure.
Perceived indicators of declining Quality of
Education
1. Teacher
shortage, subject recognition and the deployment
2.
Teaching
environment
3.
Teacher-Parent
relationship
4.
Acknowledgement
and motivation
1. Teacher shortage, subject
recognition and the deployment
One of the major
challenges the educations sector is faced with at the moment is the shortage of
sufficient and competent teachers (NIE Paro and Samtse, 2005:3). This is in
fact a global trend as, ‘many countries face a shortage of teachers, and more
specifically of an adequately trained teacher’ (p.9).
In Bhutan, at present, 13.9% of the total teaching force is made up of expatriate teachers, consisting almost entirely of Indians (General Statistics, 2005: 21) besides, using apprentices and practising teachers from the two Colleges of Education to outstrip the huge gap of insufficiency.
‘…while the quality of the teachers is the single and most influential factor for students’ achievements, (NIE Paro and Samtse, 2005:9), it is crucial for the country to recruit and retain professionally qualified teachers. It means, while the qualification of the teacher is necessary, professionalism in pedagogy is also inevitably important.
Since, ‘the development of our children as adults with high moral standards and values, right attitudes, adequate analytical skills, and disciplined minds are in the hands of teachers (Dorji, 2005:81), it is much rewarding to employ the trained and qualified teachers. The current statistics have revealed that ‘most of the untrained teachers with academic qualifications are Indian nationals’ (General Statistics, 2005: 20).
Consequently, ‘some of
them are found academically and pedagogically incompetent in delivering the
much-espoused quality education (Tenth Annual Education Conference
2007:9).
On the other hand, the
governments with the hopes to bring wider changes in education, their ideals
are juxtaposed, while ‘many leave as and when opportunities are available at
their own pace putting the school in a difficult predicament and disrupting the
smooth functioning of the school’ (p.9). In such circumstances, muscular optimism
and hopes of thousand of students are crucified and bankrupt, while none would
explore this intervention rather than contesting their judgments on students’
fragile performances as a result of poor teaching.
The teacher deployment
to the right place for what they had been trained to be, was viewed with paramount significance. However, the most disheartening fact is the lifeless
panorama of an exquisite implementation. At times, the decentralization of the
teacher deployment exposes a shift of authority only to outcast tempestuous
disgruntles and discontentment. Policymakers seem to negotiate without paying
enough heed to what they have put into black and white. The Ministry of
Education has raised four points for assuring quality education, out of which
two spelt out that,
i) Secondary
teachers must be posted in secondary schools and likewise B.Ed primary teachers
posted in primary schools
ii) Generally, the subject combination of teachers must be respected (EPGI, 2007. Annexure
XXII).
Quite recently, the deployment
of teachers connoted a burden of taking additional time to dispose of the teacher
graduates wherever necessary irrespective of their specializations. There are
cases, where fresh graduates have to be a multi-grade teacher in sterile community schools without any formal pieces of training. ‘The use of multi-grade
classrooms has helped to increase access to education but placing taxing loads
on teachers and limits amounts of time and attention that teachers can spend
with students (UNICEF, 2000:34). Because these teachers do not directly apply
their related subject skills and knowledge in the classrooms, they remain
confiscated from the deficiency of multi-grade teachings and skills.
There is neither a
distinction between secondary and primary B.Ed nor as satisfactory
acknowledgement on their subjects. Secondary B.Eds are placed in far-flung
community schools, only to image idleness with their two subject
specializations. A sensible recognition should surface to figure that these
degrees of variations make the difference and these discrepancies are
necessary. Otherwise, there is no reason in classifying themselves right from
the induction course before they join the real teaching.
2.
Teaching Environment
Lhazom and Chhoeda
(2003) states that ‘while infrastructures such as classrooms are the first
requirement and the easiest to provide, subsequent demands on teachers,
materials, training and support system are harder to provide (p.1). In most of
the schools in our country, ‘overcrowding of classrooms, shortage of qualified
national teachers and inadequate learning/teaching resources are some of the
factors strongly affecting the quality of learning in primary education
(Millennium Development Goals: Progress Report 2002, 2003:16).
Moreover, ‘the workload
of the existing teachers in the schools are huge and we cannot expect the
teachers to provide quality education when they have to grabble with issues
that they cannot address like huge classes, huge teaching loads, numerous
activity to carry out and concerted teaching they have to do (Tenth Annual
Education Conference, 2007:8). In classrooms with a high student-teacher ratio
and where undifferentiated group interaction is the norm, teachers may not
detect individual learning needs (NIE Paro & Samtse, 2005:9).
The expertise and
commitments of teachers... must be combined with good working conditions,
supportive community and enabling policies to allow quality education to take
place (p.45). All educators are aware of the complexity of teaching. It only
makes sense that continued excellence in such a field requires continuous
growth and refinement (Daniel & Abrutyn, 1997:37). It is only a person in the teaching profession, who is expected to lead the younger generation, and hence,
he is expected to have a broad-based knowledge in addition to specialization in
a particular field (Safaya, 1982). It is, therefore, necessary to provide avenues
for teachers to continue their education. By now we know enough that the
teacher is the most important factor that can make a difference in the success
and failure of a school (Dorji, 2005:170).
The recruitment of
‘…competent and committed teachers to help every student reach his or her
potential, is a critical factor in the provision of quality education (NIE Paro
and Samtse, 2005:45). Thus, the government should ‘continue to support schools
in more remote and isolated districts utilizing both financial and human
resources to improve conditions and the quality of education… (UNICEF,
2000:35). It also should ‘continue to promote and support teacher’s
professional development, especially in rural areas, particularly in-service
programs, distance education, and information exchange on new initiatives and
topics of interest (p.35). Only with ‘…the combined force of good teachers,
school conditions, management and leadership and adequate learning materials
available are necessary for an enriched learning environment (Dorji, 2005:181).
We need to identify and pay more attention to teachers who can and will use appropriate methods to help children learn and help improve those who think
completing the syllabus is more important than anything else (Dorji, 2005:168).
3. Teacher Parent relationship
Although, ‘educating
children is a common responsibility
of all adults and not the teachers alone (Dorji, 2005:149), at the moment a
good parent-teacher relationship is lacking in our society (Choden, 2008).
Parents need to
understand that sending children to the school itself is not enough. Monitoring
their performance and checking on them on a timely basis is mandatory for every
parent. Each one of us has to play our part equally in the education of our
children (Choden, 2008). While ‘parents are the main stakeholders in their
children’s education (Dorji, 2005:148), it is known that, ‘in a great many
situations, the support or lack of support of parents is the key to the
child’s success in the school (Richards & Earl, 1999:85). In their view,
‘the effectiveness of a school’ program is dependent upon the successful
collaboration of principal, teacher and parents (p.90). ‘The more interaction
there is between the school and the community, the stronger is the bond between
the two (Ministry of Education, 2005:20).
Presently, the minimum
parents’ participation maybe because, ‘there is a huge misconception among
many parents that, once the child goes to school, it is the responsibility of
the school and the teachers to take over charge of the child (Choden, 2008).
There must be a healthy and trusting relationship between parents and teachers
(Dorji, 2005:149).
Therefore, ‘it is very
important for parents to attend the parent-teacher meetings in the school. It is an
open forum where issues of mutual interest may be deliberated at length’
(Choden, 2008). Also important is the responsibility of parents to become
involved in school activities to show their children that they are concerned
about learning. Teachers need this parent support (Rickards & Earl,
1999:86).
‘Parents
instil in their children the desire to learn by showing an interest in
learning themselves. This, in turn, is transmitted to their children. When
parents are indifferent toward school and learning, their children see no
value in attending school. Such an attitude increases the difficulty of
providing appropriate instruction for students, and also increases the
likelihood of their failure (p.85-6). ‘By the close parent-teacher
relationship, a child could be saved from falling into bad habits and company.
Juvenile delinquency can be reduced and productivity enhanced. In the end, we
would be producing a successful individual, a proud parent and a satisfied
teacher (Choden, 2008). Besides, ‘they could encourage teachers to focus on
children’s education and remove any possible conflict with the community by
extending their full cooperation in physical development and maintenance of
school properties (Dorji, 2005:149).
Consequently,
‘it’s advisable for parents to know her children’s every teacher and for the
teacher to know the child’s details and background. This can be achieved only
if parents and teachers share open communication and collegial relationship
(Choden, 2008). While, ‘still remaining free,
parents must now provide support by creating an enabling environment in a
school where their children are enrolled. They need to participate in school
activities by providing moral support to teachers and not join the cynics in
lashing unwholesome criticism at them (Dorji, 2005:148-9).
Involving …parents in the evaluation process will lessen the livelihood that
misunderstanding will occur. As teachers, we are concerned with growth and
student’s progress over time, such as during a grading period, semester or
year; however, parents are typically more interested in the product than the
process (Rickards & Earl 1999:87).
4. Acknowledgement and Motivation
His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo in his
message during the Silver Jubilee Celebration of Sherubtse College (1993)
stated that,
The greatness of the country is determined by its people. The productiveness and character of the people is in turn determined by the quality of education they receive.
‘Schools have a vital role to play in
moulding students intellectually, morally, socially and culturally. Those are
the aspirations of our King, country and its people, which, we proudly refer to
as Tsa-Wa-Sum (Ministry of Education, 2005:10). The ‘school education delivered
with the intention of bringing out the treasures otherwise hidden in the
individual, requires the greatest of efforts by our teachers (Dorji,
1999:42). Teachers, therefore, become
the most reliable sources from which to emanate the lights of vision (p.42).
To make the vision come true, much is
expected and demanded of teachers. Much more efforts need to be made for
improving the quality of teachers. Improving the quality of education requires
recruitment, training, social status and working conditions (p.43). A
child’s first teacher must be well trained and motivated so that it will help
build a sound foundation on which all subsequent learning will be built (p.43).
As modernization opened many
opportunities within the government and the private sector, teaching began to
lose its lustre and began to be associated more with drudgery and as a profession
for those who did not qualify for other vocations (Lhazom & Chhoeda,
2003:3). Today, ‘the pressure on our teachers has never been greater any other
time and the challenge for them to deliver the goods never more difficult than
now (Tenth Annual Education Conference, 2007: 8). Safaya (1982) understands that ‘the financial
stringencies, the huge domestic responsibilities, the professional workload
and the environmental factors disturb the mental health of the teacher.
Even in our context, ‘…there is a
general feeling that the Royal Government needs to put adequate incentives
into the system such that the best teacher is attracted and retained (Tenth
Annual education Conference 2007:4). The ‘teaching allowance’ as a gift to the
teachers in July 1998, from the fourth king Jigme Singye
Wangchuck to ‘enhance the morale and motivation of working teachers’ and to
bring ‘improvements in personnel administration as well as (other) incentives
for excellence’ (Education Division, 1998 as in Dorji, 1999:43), has been completely washed away. Incentives are necessary
for our teachers because the lack of such provisions is posing a negative
impact on job satisfaction. Teacher “morale” (an emotional state which rises
and falls according to circumstances-CERD, 2007:19) is low and the prospect of
moving up the career ladder is bleak resulting in quite a few of them leaving
for greener pastures outside of education. There are strong signals coming from
the field and unless the Royal Government reads these signals and put in
schemes, not only to help retain the existing teachers but also to attract new
teachers, the children of Bhutan are going to face the prospects of poor
delivery of education (Tenth Annual Education Conference, 2007:4-5).
It is, therefore, basically understood
that ‘teachers were expected to make a lot of sacrifices but very few schemes
were there to improve their lot (Lhazom & Chhoeda, 2003:3). So, ‘the Royal
Government shall have to put in incentives to the teaching profession to retain
the existing staff as well as attract new and competent teachers. Otherwise, it
is a dejected teacher group with low morale that we are holding accountable for the delivery of quality education to our children (Tenth Annual Education
Conference, 2007: 8).
There is an uneven discrepancy between
national and non-national science teachers too. Nationals, though equally
qualified and certified to teach, are deployed and retained in community and
primary schools to labour the same job devoid of any scarcity allowances. The
reason is microscopic in nature a one may interpret, but affords a superior
impact on being overlooked. These sorts of taxonomy in the teaching profession
paint a negative colour whether Bhutanese trained teachers are inferior to teach
or the syllabi in the training colleges are futile.
Recommendations
To provide quality wholesome education to our students, a strong and effective education system is integral to
individual success, social cohesion, progress and national prosperity.
Prioritising Quality over Quantity
Our education system should identify
that enhancing the quality of primary education is a crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked while looking for quantitative
progress in enrollment. That is, a higher proportion of enrollment is not necessarily a designation for a better quality.
Sometimes, it is necessary to relook at addressing non-enrollment as a challenge instead of focusing on enrollment as a sole indicator of success. With our education system committed to delivering quality
wholesome education, education planners and practitioners must prioritise children who are not enrolled, those who repeat grades, or have dropped out. Considering these issues may have the potential to address the quality of education in our context.
Planned School Upgrades
School upgrades should be carefully investigated and planned. Ad-hoc upgrades often result in schools operating without necessary teaching-learning
materials and enough teachers. For example, most of our newly upgraded schools do not have science
laboratories, adequate classrooms, textbooks, a library, and a playground. When curriculum revisions take place, textbooks and teaching materials
are often delivered late, leaving teachers to rush through the syllabus and compromising the educational quality.
Teacher Incentives and Scarcity Allowances
Identifying teaching as a complex and demanding profession, the incentives required for the service are discussed widely. Despite the clear necessity to reinstate these incentives, they are yet to be implemented. To address the challenge of recruiting national science
teachers, scarcity allowance for Physics and Maths
teachers should be considered regardless of nationality (Tenth Annual
Education Conference, 2007). The current practice exists where national physics teachers are deployed in remote schools, depriving them of teaching specialised subjects and losing other opportunities (e.g., incentives). Consequently, national teachers despite their dedication and shouldering equal responsibilities often remain the most overlooked and de-motivated individuals.
Enhancing Teacher Deployment Practices
Teacher graduates should be recognised and respected for the subject they are specialised in during the deployment. Instead, secondary teachers are placed in community/primary schools, engaging in different roles they are not trained for (e.g., multi-grade teaching). If the quality of education has to be considered, multi-grade programs in schools must be handled by trained and experienced teachers (Tenth Annual Education Conference, 2007). A teacher is better qualified to implement new ideas or practices when they are exposed to greater training. The current statistics of multi-grade teachers should be recorded and give them a platform to raise their skills. Ultimately, they are the ones who face the challenges of multi-grade teaching with limited resources in the schools.
There are mystic procedures in the decentralization of teacher deployment. There is no clear and due recognition
of the subjects during the time of deployment, as being configured in the
training colleges. Primary and secondary B.Eds, the term itself depicts the disparity
of the training pursued, while their subject specialization pertains to huge
variation. Thus, ‘…it would imply that B.Ed primary teachers are also to be
placed at primary schools only and B.Ed secondary teachers in secondary schools
(NIE Paro & Samtse, 2005;42).
A reasonable percentage of the teaching
force in our country is made up of expatriate teachers. While many strive to
perform well within the limits of the requisites, a few cases of uncertain
leaving are still rampant. Some arrive to seek temporary employment before
they avail of other lucrative businesses in their country, often leaving the school
a complicated predicament. Deeming it less frequent and minute, in which we
normally fail to execute exquisite attention and remedies does matter to have
the share in delivering quality education.
With the contemporarily demanded
teaching skills and pedagogic methodologies, the fresh graduates assumed to
apply innovative initiatives is risked when their ideas are made vulnerable to
criticism rather than motivation in the schools. In such circumstances, it is
sensible that the leader of the schools is well-informed and made exposed to
existing revolutions in the education system. Theoretical seminars on making
them the breathing examples of the young and novice, a mentor to accept
failures and the man of principles, a motivator thus up-gradation of their
qualifications are crucial. Confining themselves with traditional kinds of
educational settings coerces the vigorous beginners to metamorphose and drink the
‘new wine in the old bottle’. Much later, acclimatization to such nature
engenders the lust and optimism of the young and this is where many get
engulfed by complacency and tag along with the age-old tradition that the school
has.
The Bhutanese school curriculum is
reviewed constantly so that it sensitizes the immediate needs and ladder up
with the fast-changing world. Still, then a reasonable appreciation is required
in ‘making the curriculum more relevant and interesting, including aspects of
developing valuable life skills and improve the aptitude, motivation and
qualification of teachers are necessary for upgrading the quality of education
in primary schools and at higher levels (Millennium Development Goals: Progress
Report 2002, 2003.).
Conclusion
As more has been learned about the
educational problems of emergent countries, it has become increasingly obvious
that quality and quantity in education are inextricably intertwined, and that
the relationship is a complex one (Beeby, 1966:14-5).
One cannot detach either while trying to spring the light of quality in
education. And this entails almost the same to our education system.
In recent years, the rapid adoption
of the western model of education has facilitated many of our people to face the
new challenges posed due to advancements in science and technology. Today,
putting education in the lead, we notice a swift expansion in enrollment
quantitatively. Now, it has pronounced a predictable configuration where we
observe that ‘…education is at the heart of both personal and community
development; its mission is to enable each of us, without exception, to develop
all our talents to the full and to realize our creative potential, including
responsibility for our own lives and achievement of our potential aims (Delors,
1998:19 as cited in Thinley, 1999).
With the comprehensive inception of
schooling in our country, ‘in more recent years there has been an increasing
call for a more ‘wholesome’ education (Thinley, 1999).
The succinct adoption of this approach, within our context, has enriched us to
better appreciate the quality of education. We are also reminded that Bhutanese
understanding of quality in education is absolutely based on wholesome
education.
Every year, during the time of vacation,
with the initiatives from the parent ministry, the responsible stakeholders
assemble to brainstorm innovative processes to provide quality wholesome
education. The provision of ‘the idea of wholesome education needs the
collective efforts of a supportive community, leadership, dedicated teachers,
and the necessary infrastructure (Dorji, 2005). The shared effort of parents,
community and the stakeholders concerned, therefore, persistently remains as a
calling rather than attempting to see it as a trade or a business to realize
this particular vision.
At some instances, when none remains
accountable, ‘perhaps the quality might suffer a little owing to the pressures
and depression teachers have to undergo (Dorji, 2008:5).
Because teachers’ single-handedly cannot lift the quality, they are currently
at the same time, ascribed for the cause. As a direct instructional gatekeeper
and the practical implementer of the curricula, they are liable to have their
share in the deal but not on a total basis. In its ultimate sense, there is no
possible reason to infer the same. Indeed, it is comprehensive that a blend of
rationales integrates sturdily and reasonably.
And the recent cry over the drop in
quality of education is because people are agreed with the unconfined echelon of
expectations from the schools. ‘In practice, at the lowest level of judgment,
people with very different backgrounds and purposes want many of the same things
from the schools (Beeby,1966:13). One cannot merely predict and
take for granted without firm evidence when pertaining to a dispute over such
subject. No piece of study has attempted to indicate this degeneration so far
and the current beliefs are there, hypothetical.
In Bhutan, one logical expression can be
because; there is a varied comprehension of foreign interpretations. Many
debates seem to have argued based on the subjective connotation. Through,
study, reveals that our approach to accepting quality is embedded with
wholesome education, where children are fed academically sound information;
instils value education, provides cultural and co-curricular activities. It
means, in our setting, even if the children fail to continue higher studies,
as a result of which s/he is dropped out of the school, the relative use of the
acquired vocational and technical skills at home would infer quality.
In summary, any sort of discussions
that pertain to portray the nature of quality of education in Bhutan has adequate room to explore and is debatable otherwise. Many studies are demanded to
diagnose the much-talked-about topic. It should not curl as a cause and in any
way, should not depict as a failure. In a nation of the small population like ours,
with assurance, it is affordable to say that the quality of education stands
beautifully as an occult opportunity. It is an opportunity retained with cause
and solutions defined but left without a trace of investigating with those
solutions. Thus, in a nutshell, it is worth leaving the quote of Robert mallet
which labels:
“It is not the impossibilities that we
get despaired of, but the possibilities that we failed to realize”.
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