By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, October 23: Teachers and school staff must not turn schools into a political platform to spread ‘regionalism and sectarianism’ because doing so will lead to students and parents losing trust over the school, said CTA President Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay during the 57th Founding Anniversary of Tibetan Children’s Village today.
“Teachers and staff have the added responsibility of teaching the importance of unity. It is of great importance for them to advise the students to act without being biased towards a particular region or a sect,” said President Sangay, adding that it is important also to stop those who spread such negative influences.
Attended by the Speaker of Tibetan Parliament in Exile Khenpo Sonam Tenphel and other dignitaries of Tibetan government in exile, the anniversary was celebrated under the theme of ‘One World, One Ethics: Compassion’.
Deliberating on the theme, the Sikyong said that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has always maintained that ethics not based on religion would have a wider reach and global acceptance and compassion for others is the ultimate form of courage.
“Various Indian schools and institutions have already incorporated secular ethics as a part their curriculum. Therefore, it is not late for the Tibetan schools to incorporate it as a part of the curriculum as well,” he said, while applauding the school for providing quality education to Tibetan students for nearly six decades.
Calling the theme as the need of the hour, Sikyong reminded how leaders such as Moa Zedong, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Osama Bin Laden despite having modern education brought more sorrow then peace to the world. According to him it is because of lack compassion for others.
Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel in his statement recalled the history of how the school began with a group of 51 children as a nursery school and its evolution into a center for education for decades to the Tibetans providing quality education.
The calisthenics display, the main attraction of today’s event, saw the school showing solidarity towards Larung Gar and also gratitude towards His Holiness’s reaffirmation of him living till the age of 113.
The foremost Tibetan school in exile was founded in 1960 as a humble nursery under the care of late Tsering Dolma Takla, elder sister to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and younger sister Jetsun Pema fondly known as ‘Amala’.
