<-Back to WTN Archives
Educational plans for Tibet slammed (UPI)
By GIRLIE LINAO
BEIJING, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Supporters of the dalai lama slammed China's plan
to educate children in Tibet, accusing Beijing Thursday of trying to
eradicate Tibetan culture and wipe out the exiled spiritual leader's
influence on the young.
"Whatever they do, Chinese people and policy in Tibet undermine our culture
and values," said Desang Tsering, general-secretary of the Central Tibetan
Administration in Dharamsala, site of the dalai lama's government-in-exile
in northern India. "This goal is always behind their policies."
China announced at least four out of five school age children in Tibet will
be receiving three, six or nine years of compulsory education by the end of
the century.
The number of years will be adjusted based on the conditions and education
levels of students in pastoral areas, farming sites, towns and cities.
Under a set of regulations passed by the regional People's Congress, the
legislative body in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, "each county of Tibet
must have at least one middle school, and each Tibetan township must have a
complete primary school."
Tsering said the move, announced by the official Xinhua news agency, would
only benefit the thousands of Chinese who have poured into the Himalayan
region.
"Educators sent by the central government concentrate on weakening unique
traditional culture and customs," he said.
Noting schools in Tibet primarily accept children of Chinese workers and
soldiers who have moved into the area, Tsering said any educational plan
should include reforms on admissions and curricula.
A recent survey shows Tibet now has 87 middle schools with 33,000 students
and 3,950 primary schools with more than 250,000 pupils.
To enter any institution of learning, Tibetan youngsters have to learn Chinese.
"This is just one problem for Tibetans," Tsering said in a telephone
interview. "We must know our own language and culture."
Tibetans frequently complain China is infusing the region with Han Chinese,
the country's ethnic majority accounting for 92 percent of the population.
Beijing claims only 3.3 percent of the 2.3 million residents of Tibet are
Chinese.
Tsering expressed confidence the dalai lama's influence on Tibetan youths
is difficult to completely erase, despite the generation growing up without
knowing the exiled leader.
"I doubt the Chinese will be able to root out the region's original
belief," he said. "Their presence in Tibet is a problem. But parents, older
relatives and friends can explain the dalai lama to the children."
The dalai lama fled to northern India in 1959 after an unsuccessful
uprising against Chinese rule and is viewed by Beijing as a symbol of
Tibet's independence movement.
The 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner has enraged China with recent visits to
the United States, Britain, Germany, New Zealand and Australia, during
which he called on Beijing to engage in a dialogue with him and respect
Tibetan human rights.
In his latest trip the head of Tibetan Buddhism met with Australian Prime
Minister John Howard, prompting infuriated China to threaten trade and
diplomatic retaliation. The meeting followed talks between the dalai lama
and New Zealand Prime Minister Jim Bolger despite Chinese objections.
Beijing regularly protests when any country hosts the dalai lama. It
routinely suppresses calls for greater freedoms and independence in Tibet,
with police beatings or demonstrators, including monks and nuns.
Australian and New Zealand officials stressed the meetings were unofficial
and merely in recognition of the Tibetan revered by many as a god-king.
Earlier this week, two Chinese dissidents, Liu Xiaobo and Wang Xizhe, urged
Beijing in a petition to grant Tibetans the right of self- determination
and to talk to the dalai lama.
"The Chinese government has made mistakes in Tibet, especially since the
Cultural Revolution," the two said, referring to the 1966-76 radical
political movement when Chinese youths destroyed thousands of Tibetan
temples.
Liu and Wang accused Beijing of reneging on pledges made before they came
to power in 1949 that China's ethnic minorities should have the right to
self-determination.
Articles in this Issue:
Other articles this month -
WTN Index -
Mail the WTN-Editors
World Tibet Network NewsThursday, October 3, 1996 |
4. Educational plans for Tibet slammed (UPI)
By GIRLIE LINAO
BEIJING, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Supporters of the dalai lama slammed China's plan
to educate children in Tibet, accusing Beijing Thursday of trying to
eradicate Tibetan culture and wipe out the exiled spiritual leader's
influence on the young.
"Whatever they do, Chinese people and policy in Tibet undermine our culture
and values," said Desang Tsering, general-secretary of the Central Tibetan
Administration in Dharamsala, site of the dalai lama's government-in-exile
in northern India. "This goal is always behind their policies."
China announced at least four out of five school age children in Tibet will
be receiving three, six or nine years of compulsory education by the end of
the century.
The number of years will be adjusted based on the conditions and education
levels of students in pastoral areas, farming sites, towns and cities.
Under a set of regulations passed by the regional People's Congress, the
legislative body in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, "each county of Tibet
must have at least one middle school, and each Tibetan township must have a
complete primary school."
Tsering said the move, announced by the official Xinhua news agency, would
only benefit the thousands of Chinese who have poured into the Himalayan
region.
"Educators sent by the central government concentrate on weakening unique
traditional culture and customs," he said.
Noting schools in Tibet primarily accept children of Chinese workers and
soldiers who have moved into the area, Tsering said any educational plan
should include reforms on admissions and curricula.
A recent survey shows Tibet now has 87 middle schools with 33,000 students
and 3,950 primary schools with more than 250,000 pupils.
To enter any institution of learning, Tibetan youngsters have to learn Chinese.
"This is just one problem for Tibetans," Tsering said in a telephone
interview. "We must know our own language and culture."
Tibetans frequently complain China is infusing the region with Han Chinese,
the country's ethnic majority accounting for 92 percent of the population.
Beijing claims only 3.3 percent of the 2.3 million residents of Tibet are
Chinese.
Tsering expressed confidence the dalai lama's influence on Tibetan youths
is difficult to completely erase, despite the generation growing up without
knowing the exiled leader.
"I doubt the Chinese will be able to root out the region's original
belief," he said. "Their presence in Tibet is a problem. But parents, older
relatives and friends can explain the dalai lama to the children."
The dalai lama fled to northern India in 1959 after an unsuccessful
uprising against Chinese rule and is viewed by Beijing as a symbol of
Tibet's independence movement.
The 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner has enraged China with recent visits to
the United States, Britain, Germany, New Zealand and Australia, during
which he called on Beijing to engage in a dialogue with him and respect
Tibetan human rights.
In his latest trip the head of Tibetan Buddhism met with Australian Prime
Minister John Howard, prompting infuriated China to threaten trade and
diplomatic retaliation. The meeting followed talks between the dalai lama
and New Zealand Prime Minister Jim Bolger despite Chinese objections.
Beijing regularly protests when any country hosts the dalai lama. It
routinely suppresses calls for greater freedoms and independence in Tibet,
with police beatings or demonstrators, including monks and nuns.
Australian and New Zealand officials stressed the meetings were unofficial
and merely in recognition of the Tibetan revered by many as a god-king.
Earlier this week, two Chinese dissidents, Liu Xiaobo and Wang Xizhe, urged
Beijing in a petition to grant Tibetans the right of self- determination
and to talk to the dalai lama.
"The Chinese government has made mistakes in Tibet, especially since the
Cultural Revolution," the two said, referring to the 1966-76 radical
political movement when Chinese youths destroyed thousands of Tibetan
temples.
Liu and Wang accused Beijing of reneging on pledges made before they came
to power in 1949 that China's ethnic minorities should have the right to
self-determination.
Articles in this Issue:
- Peking's poison fails to touch Tibetan hearts (Independent)
- This document damns China over Tibet (Guardian)
- Microsoft - Issued instructions on removing offensive Chinese slogans (WSJ)
- Educational plans for Tibet slammed (UPI)
- Tibet to establish schools in every town -report (Reuter)
- Stocks stir capitalism in Tibet (Reuter)
- Tibet Jinzhu to raise 76.2 mln yuan from issue (Reuter)
CTC National Office 300 Leo-Pariseau, Suite 2250, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2X 4B3
T: (514) 487-0665 F: (514) 487-7825 ctcoffice@tibet.ca
T: (514) 487-0665 F: (514) 487-7825 ctcoffice@tibet.ca
© 2010 Canada Tibet Committee
Developed by 