DEPARTMENTAL BRIEFS Assessment of Standards in Mathematics & Science in Schools Kalon Address Newly Trained Teachers CTSA Director Visits CST Dalhousie New Additional Secretary Joins Workshop on School Guidance & Counseling In-service Teachers Training Conclude Tibetan Students Participate in 10th Salwan Marathon Teachers attend Substance Abuse Control-Prevention Meet Workshop on Tibetan Culture & Democracy for School Children CST Dalhousie Cultural Troupe Win Award Closure of Primary Section at CST Dalhousie Counsellors Visit Schools School Inspections Results of Annual Tibetan Essay Competition, 2004 SCHOOL FEATURE Central School for Tibetans, Chandragiri SCHOLARSHIP NEWS Scholarship News PUBLICATION NEWS Publication News PROJECT NEWS Project News

THE NEWS

Assessment of Standards in Mathematics & Science in Schools The Department of Education, CTA commissioned a study to assess the standard of Maths and Science in Tibetan schools in October-November 2004. Two subject experts viz. Mr. I.C. Ahuja for Maths and Mr. P.C. Bose for Science visited at CST Mussoorie, THF Mussoorie, THF Rajpur, CST Paonta Sahib, CST Herbertpur, TCV Dharamsala Cantt., and CST Chauntra. They observed classroom teaching, interacted with the teachers and students and provided valuable guidance and suggestions for making classroom instruction in science and math more interesting and effective. The schools greatly appreciated their visit and extended full co-operation. Kalon Address Newly Trained Teachers Education Kalon Mr. Thupten Lungrig awarded certificates and addressed the 8th batch of teacher trainees, who have successfully completed two-year Primary School Teacher Training Course from TCV Teacher Training Centre, Dharamsala Cantt., at a Convocation ceremony held on December 14. Ten students secured first division and six second division with no third division. CTSA Director Visits CST Dalhousie Dr. M.S. Verma, Director of Central Tibetan Schools Administration (CTSA), Delhi and Mr. Tashi Norbu Rikha, Joint Secretary, DOE paid a visit to Central School for Tibetans (CST), Dalhousie from November 16-17. They inspected the school facilities and interacted with the students and staff members. They were accompanied by Mr. S.P. Rana, Deputy Education Officer of CTSA. New Additional Secretary Joins Additional Secretary Mr. Ngodup Dorjee joined the Department of Education on December 14 on transfer from the Department of Home. As the head of administration and project sections, he replaces Mrs. Nangsa Chodon who on promotion has been appointed as Secretary of Public Service Commission of the Central Tibetan Administration. Workshop on School Guidance & Counseling Twelve teacher counselors from Tibetan schools in South India participated in a week-long workshop on Guidance & Counseling organised by the Counselling Cell of the Department of Education, CTA at Indian Social Institute, Bangalore from 18th to 23rd October. Eminent counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists and practitioners were invited to share their expertise with the participants. Counselor Kalsang Tsewang provided guidance on how to implement the Minimum Program of Guidance and Counseling in the schools. Teachers were given opportunity to share problems faced while providing counselling in the schools and received guidance on ways to solve them. In-service Teachers Training Conclude In-service training course for teachers at Sherab Gatsel Lobling, Dharamsala successfully concluded on November 26. The course, which began on January 19, covered all areas of teacher education with special emphasis on skills for teaching adults, in view of the school being for young adults who have newly arrived from Tibet. The course was conducted in collaboration with Danish educators from Danish Centre for Conflict Resolution. Twenty-two teachers successfully completed the course. Education Secretary addressed the teachers during the valedictory function and gave away the certificates. Tibetan Students Participate in 10th Salwan Marathon Thirty six Tibetan students selected from CST Paonta Sahib, CST Chauntra and STS Dekyiling participated in the 10th Salwan Marathon held on November 7 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi organised under the aegis of Salwan Education Trust and Delhi Amateur Athletic Association. About 30,000 school children from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal participated. Twenty-eight Tibetan students came within the top 100 and were awarded trophies and achievement certificates. Teachers attend Substance Abuse Control-Prevention Meet School heads, Rectors and teachers attended a two-day workshop on control & prevention of substance abuse in schools conducted by the Department of Health, CTA from October 7-8 at Songtsen Library, Dehradun. The workshop dealt with awareness programmes on prevention of drug abuse among the school children; constructive parental role, workshops and field study in schools by the DOH; formation of health committees, one for teachers and another for students; half yearly report on implementation of programmes. The DOH to provide funds and guideline support for treatment and prevention of substance abuse in the schools. A general meeting of health committees representing both teachers and students will be held in September 2005. Workshop on Tibetan Culture & Democracy for School Children A workshop for school children on Tibetan culture and democratic ideals was conducted at Dharamsala from December 21-29. It was organised and sponsored by the Tibetan Parliamentary & Policy Research Centre (TPPRC) based in New Delhi. Fifty-three senior boys and girls and one teacher each from 16 Tibetan schools attended the workshop. It was inaugurated by the Vice-Chairman of Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies (ATPD), Mrs. Dolma Gyari and valedictory function was presided by Education Kalon Thupten Lungrig. The participants were also introduced to various organs and functions of the Central Tibetan Administration and other NGOs. Among the notable speakers at the workshop were the Chief Justice Commissioner Namgyal Tsering Dralnang, Chairman of ATPD Pema Jungney, Kalon Tripa Prof. S. Rinpoche and Secretaries of various departments. CST Dalhousie Cultural Troupe Win Award Students from CST Dalhousie participated at the 2nd State Level Group Song Competition organised by Shimla Unit of Bharti Vikas Parishad, Shimla in October. They won first position in both the junior and senior categories. Last year also the school secured first position and participated in the national level competition. Closure of Primary Section at CST Dalhousie Central Tibetan Schools Administration has decided to wind-up the primary section at CST Dalhousie with effect from the new academic session starting January 2005 owing to non- viability of the primary classes due to low enrolment. The school will have classes VI to XII only. The existing students in primary section will be accommodated at CST Shimla effective from January 1, 2005. Counsellors Visit Schools Counselor Mr. Kalsang Tsewang toured Central School for Tibetans at Mundgod, Bylakuppe, CVP Bylakuppee, Gurupura, Kollegal, Chandragiri and SOS TCV School at Bylakuppee during September-November. While in the schools he interacted with the students, providing career guidance; information on prevailing employment opportunities; group and individual sessions on interpersonal relations, motivation, improving study habits and on behavioural problems. With teachers, he discussed on how to understand the growing child at adolescence stage and on their particular needs (both emotional and social). He also guided them on slow learners among children and the effect of teachers' personality on the children. Counselor Ms. Donkar Wangmo visited CSTs at Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Sonada and STS at Gangtok from October 8-25. She met the students individually and also as a group and took guidance classes for Classes VI to XII in CST Darjeeling and Class IX to XII in CST Kalimpong while in CST Sonada, she interacted with Classes VI to X and VI to VIII at STS, Gangtok. She covered vital guidance topics such as Importance of Self-Understanding, Goal Setting, How to Face the Board Examination, Career Options after class XII, Effective Study Skills, Educational Courses after class X, How to Concentrate, Choices-Healthy Vs Unhealthy and its consequences, DOE Scholarships etc Besides, she gave Career Talk to Classes I to VI at CST, Kalimpong. She had a meeting with the Principal, Rector and the Staff of CST Kalimpong and discussed at length the concerns about their students. This was a very good moment for both the school and the counselor to learn from each other and then move forward to work as a team to improve school academic performance and also help students adjust better to school. School Inspections Education Officer Mr. Tsering Samdup along with Mrs. Sandhya Rastogi, Education Officer CTSA conducted annual inspections of CST Darjeeling and CST Sonada from October 11-13. They observed classroom instruction and the overall school functioning. During the inspection, they interacted with teachers, parents and students. Mr. Tsering Samdup also visited Sambhota Tibetan School at Pokhriabong, near Darjeeling on October 9-10. Suggestions for further improvement were given to the above schools. Mr. Tsering Phuntsok, Education Officer and Dr. U.C. Gupta, Education Officer CTSA conducted inspection of CST Dholanji on October 12, CST Shimla on October 13-14 and CST Chandragiri, Orissa and its two branch schools CST Mahendragarh and CST Lobersing from November 16-18. They inspected the school curricular and co-curricular activities and the school records. They talked to the students and the teaching staff and provided suggestions for improvement. Education Officer Mr. Tsering Samdup, Mr. A.S. Rawat and Mrs. Sandhya Rastogi, both Education Officers from CTSA visited CST Tezu and CST Miao from October 23-25. Results of Annual Tibetan Essay Competition, 2004 This year's annual Tibetan essay competition was held on September 24 for the students of Class VI to XII in schools in India and Nepal. The first three position holders in each class category will be awarded cash prizes and certificates. The names of the winners are given below: Class Position Name of Students Name of school XII 1st 2nd 3rd Tsering Lhamo Nyima Gyaltsen Norbu Tsering Upper TCV Dharamsala THF Mussoorie SOS TCV Bylakuppe XI 1st 2nd 3rd Sonam Sangpo Bhuga Kyap Lhundup Dorjee TCV Gopalpur SOS TCV Bylakuppe Upper TCV Dharamsala X 1st 2nd 3rd Lobsang Dakpa Nyima Choephel Lhundup Dorjee TCV Suja TCV Gopalpur Sera Je School, Bylakuppe IX 1st 2nd 3rd Dhondup Tashi Karma Tsering Jmpa Kungyen TCV Suja SOS TCV Bylakuppe Sera Je School, Bylakuppe VIII 1st 2nd 3rd Yangchuk Gonpo Dhondup Sonam Wangchuk TCV Suja THF Mussoorie THS Rajpur VII 1st 2nd 3rd Tenzin Chonjor Darik Thomey Pema Tsering TCV Selkui TCV Suja Namgyal Higher Sec School, Nepal VI 1st 2nd 3rd Konchok Lhamo Wangchuk Tashi Thupten TCV Selakui TCV Suja TCV Suja Central School for Tibetans, Chandragiri CST Chandragiri is located in the Eastern Ghat region at the height of 1900 feet above sea level, about 250 kilometres away from Bhubaneswar, the capital city of the state of Orissa. The school was established in Phuntsokling Tibetan Settlement in the year 1965 with the blessing of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and managed by Central Tibetan Schools Administration, Delhi, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India. The school was established to impart modern education and to preserve and promote the rich Tibetan cultural heritage to the children of Tibetan refugees settled in Orissa. At present the school has two primary school branches, one at Lobersing Camp No. 3 and another at Mahendragarh Camp No. 5 each with a headmaster. The main secondary school at Chandragiri has classes from VI to X. The school has a total strength of 345 students including both the branch schools. Tibetan is the medium of instruction at the primary classes and English in middle and secondary classes. The school is affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Delhi and follows textbooks published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and CBSE. The total staff strength is 32, which includes 23 teaching staff. The academic performance of the school continues to show improvement and the result of Class X CBSE Board examination held in March 2004 was 92.31% as against 52.77% last year. The school has good facilities viz. spacious playgrounds, multi-purpose halls, computer lab, senior & junior science labs, audio-visuals, resource centre, library, OHP, art and tailoring sections. The Settlement Officer and Parent-Teacher Association take active interest in the development of the school. Mr. Ramesh Chandra has joined the school as its Principal on August 27, 2004 on being transferred from CST Sonada. The Headmasters of branch schools at CST Lobersing and CST Mahendragada are Mr. R.C. Pradhan and Mr. Chime Youngdung (Incharge) respectively. Scholarship News The Department of Education has selected Mr. Tsering Dorjee to undergo Ph. D. course at the University of Kuopio, Mikkeli, Finland under their scholarship. The support and help rendered by Prof. Mika Sillanpa, Department of Environmental Science, University of Kuopio, Finland, is very much appreciated. Mr. Lodoe Tsetan has been selected for the Central European University Scholarship, Hungary to undergo one-year study in the field of Environmental Science. Tenzin Jungney and Tenzin Tseyang have been selected by Pestalozzi Village, UK for 2005 scholarship to undergo baccalaureate course in UK. Publication News Two storybooks: Khachem Lungla-kurwa and Bava-nyitseg have been published and distributed to all schools and libraries. These books were financed by ARTIC, Japan. The 14th issue of the Gangjong, a bi-annual publication for school children has also been published and distributed to all schools. The other titles: Tips on Health, Gyunshe, Tsenkrid, the next series of Gesar for children and Techniques of Sketching will soon be made available to all schools. Project News Integrated Education Development Project The first year project activities of integrated educational development project funded by Comic Relief (UK) have been successfully completed as per planned work schedule. The activities included publication and translation of educational resource materials and textbooks; career counselling; production and purchase of teaching aids and equipment. Tibetan Land Program The proposed educational development activities of Tibetan Land program being funded by SOIR-IM include publication of reading materials for children, teaching aids equipment, career guidance and counselling, up-gradation of STS school libraries and evening education for Tibetan youths. Activities planned for 2004-2005 are being smoothly implemented as planned. Chauntra School- small projects Peter and Sine Hallum of Denmark have been continuously supporting small educational development projects at Chauntra School for the past few years. We have already released the 2004 project funds and these are currently under implementation. Manali Library Project CST Manali library was upgraded with the funding support from AET (France). Children and staff members have greatly benefited from well-equipped and stocked school library for improving their education development. Visit of IM National Evaluation Team: Three-member team of national evaluator commissioned by SOIR-IM along with their Project Officer has visited schools located in north, south and east India in Nov/Dec 2004 for evaluating the Education Development Project under Tibetan Land Program funded by SOIR-IM for the year 2002-03. The team also visited the Department of Education as part of the evaluation process.

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