The Class XII results are out. 8,576 students took the exams last year. And a good 86% of them passed. They’ve completed school. Some of them will go to college. Some will undergo training. And the rest will enter the world of work. They’ve begun a brand new chapter in their lives, a chapter that should be full of promise and excitement. So we should be happy for them. And we should be excited for them. But I’m not. I’m not happy. And I’m not excited. Instead, I’m nervous. And I’m scared. More than 7,300 students passed the Class…
Our hope
Youth crime is a growing problem in our kingdom. And according to the prime minister,“the answer lies in GNH.”
I’m happy that the prime minister has acknowledged the problem: that youth crime is real and that it is growing.
And I’m happy that he has an answer to that problem: GNH.
A good segment of our youth, especially those living in Thimphu, are in trouble. They are scared. They are anxious. And they are desperate.
So if GNH is the answer, let’s use it.
But if GNH isn’t the answer, let’s admit it, let’s look for solutions that could work, and let’s get cracking.
Reports of youth violence, vandalism, theft, drug abuse, rape, gang fights, prostitution, murder and suicides are on the increase. But what we know from the media may only be the tip of the iceberg. The reality, as Xochitl Rodriguez found out, could actually be worse.
Xochitl spent some time in Changjiji last year. And she blogged about what she saw – the suffering and desperation of our children. I’m reproducing her entire article here for our collective reference, and as a reminder of the magnitude and urgency of the work at hand.
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.
The prime minister, in his State of the Nation address, on employment: I am pleased to report to the Hon’ble Members that a total of 320,900 are now employed. This shows that 96.69% of our workforce is employed leaving an unemployment rate of 3.3%, marking a downward movement for the first time in recent years. This indicates very clearly that this government is well on track to achieve its ambitious target of 2.5% unemployment rate in the next three years with a huge labour market in the making. This is good news. After all, unemployment, especially youth unemployment, is…
I tried to avoid eye contact. And deliberately scanned the audience, desperately seeking the volunteer who would rescue me. But there was none. And, from the corner of my eye, I could see the emcee walking purposely towards me. “We have a volunteer,” she announced, smiling yet staring firmly at me. “Me?” I argued, and quickly looked left then right to my immediate neighbours, hopelessly expecting that she was addressing one of them. But the emcee was already looming over me. “Yes,” she declared, and led me on to the stage. As I steadied my buckling knees, I scolded…
Somehow, during the last few weeks I've bumped into several young unemployed people. All of them complained that they tried hard, but couldn't get jobs. Some of them were continuing to aggressively seek work. But some had given up. I've also bumped into two groups of youth who are themselves employed, but are thinking about starting something that would help other young people get jobs. These two groups are unrelated. They don't know each other. But both groups are so convinced that unemployment is already a major problem that they have decided that they may have to take matters…
About eight years ago, representatives from the National Technical Training Authority petitioned His Holiness the Je Khenpo to identify a deity to watch over skilled workers. His Holiness recognized Pel Dueki Khorlo (in Sanskrit, Kalachakra) as the Zorig Deity. His Holiness also declared the 15th day of the 3rd month as Zorig Day, and composed a 12-stanza moenlam to worship Dueki Khorlo and to advance vocational skills in our country. Yesterday, on the 15th day of the 3rd month, Zorig Day was celebrated across the country, especially in our vocational training institutes, but also in some business establishments that…
For more than three decades, His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo traveled to every part and every corner of our country to meet the children of Bhutan. And everywhere our king went, from community schools to Sherbutse, our nation’s “peak of learning”, He commanded: “The future of our country lies in the hands of our youth.”To honour and to celebrate our fourth king’s boundless love for and confidence in our youth, the Youth Development Fund started the Golden Youth Award a few years ago. This annual award essentially recognizes children who excel at school – in both, the classroom…
Sonam Tshering beat 135 participants to win the India House Golf Tournament on 30 November. For his efforts, he received the keys to a brand new Maruti Zen Estilo during the tournament’s prize distribution ceremony this evening.Not bad considering that Sonam, who is only 17 years and in Class VIII in Zilukha LSS, is currently doing his Common Examinations.Coach Karma Lam introduced him to golf barely four years ago. While he enjoyed playing the game, he quickly discovered that there was pocket money to be made by working as a caddy. (Incidentally, last year’s winner was Karma Wangchuk, 20…
Meet Sonam Choden. She’s 20 years old. She completed Class X from Motithang High School in 2005. A year later, she did a six month certificate course in IT at RIIT.She's employed as a sweeper in the National Assembly.Unemployment is real. It's serious. And it's growing.
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…
