Our King has spoken

December 21, 2011Posted inMonarchy12 Comments
Our elders believe that the words of our kings are droplets of gold. They believe that to carry out a king’s command is to undertake a task that’s heavier than a mountain. They also believe that to ignore a king’s command is to waste an opportunity more precious than gold. Our kings do not say much. But when they do, what they say is important; what they say has far-reaching implications. And what they say is gratefully received, studied and carried out with a sense of great urgency. Our King has spoken. In his Royal Address, on 17th December,…

Students’ Digest

December 26, 2010Posted inMedia
Finally! A magazine just for students! And about time too. After all, one in every three Bhutanese is a student. The magazine, Students’ Digest, a quarterly, was launched last month, befittingly on Children’s Day, the 11th of November. Students’ Digest is a rich compilation of educational material for students, and their teachers and parents. From news, views and interviews to scholarships, jobs and study tips the magazine offers knowledge, entertainment and counsel to its readers. I wish the Students’ Digest team well. Their success will be our students’ success.

Section 10.2

February 18, 2010Posted inGovernment
The Bhutan Civil Service Rules and Regulations 2006, commonly known as BCSR 2006, consists of 21 Chapters spread over 223 pages. It can be downloaded from the RCSC website. Read it. Now identify the most important provision in the document. Civil servants would probably point to Section 10.2 on page 200 of the BCSR. Section 10.2 states that: “Only one penalty shall be imposed in each case.” Why should Section 10.2 be so important? Because it protects civil servants from undue and excessive administrative authority. When civil servants transgress – when they are undisciplined, when they do not perform,…

Celebrating teachers and workers

December 18, 2009Posted inMonarchy
Teachers and blue-collared workers throughout our country must be celebrating. Good. They have reason to rejoice. Yesterday, during the National Day celebrations in Changlimithang Stadium, His Majesty the King paid special tribute to our teachers and blue-collared workers. And, in recognition of their important services to the tsa wa sum, His Majesty awarded the National Order of Merit to 16 educationists and blue-collared workers. One craftsman, Jinzop Karma, Bhutan’s foremost traditional sculptor, was bestowed the Druk Thugsay. My heartiest congratulations to them. And, to the countless teachers and blue-collared workers all across our Kingdom, I say: thank you. Photo…

Educating officials

December 9, 2009Posted inGovernment
Yesterday, during the NA’s Question Hour, I asked the Education Minister: On 30th June 2009, the RCSC terminated (without benefits) seven civil servants from the Ministry of Education for embezzling Government funds. However, the RCSC and Ministry of Education had already taken various disciplinary actions against each of them. So the termination of these education officials may be in contravention to Chapter 19, Section 10.2 of the RCSC’s BCSR which states that “Only one penalty shall be imposed in each case.” How has the Ministry of Education sought to redress this possible injustice against the Education personnel? All seven…

Happy Teachers’ Day

May 2, 2009Posted inEducation, People
Gakiling has only one school, a community primary school. It is in Rangtse, a small, impoverished village located four walking days from the nearest motor road in Haa. Tshering Dorji is its principal.In 2006, after teaching for about three years in remote schools in Samtse, Lopen Tshering volunteered to go to Rangtse to establish a community primary school. There he met enough children to start the school. And he saw a community eager to build their school. So together, they – farmers, children, and teacher – erected a two-room hut that would become Rangtse’s first classrooms.Early the following year,…

A repeating problem

November 26, 2008Posted inGeneral
Jigme Dorji has a problem – he passed Class 12, but wants to repeat Class 12!He secured an overall result of 65% percent, including a high of 75% in geography, which, I think, is quite good. But he feels that it’s not good enough and insists that he needs to repeat, and get better results, in order to do well in life.To do well in life means to get a job in the civil service or, at the very least, a big corporation. For that he needs a bachelor’s degree.65% didn’t get him admitted to Sherubtse College, Gedu College…