Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Mar. 26: Teachers of Sambhota schools serving on contractual basis will be offered permanent placement following evaluation, CTA education minister Changra Tharlam Dolma said on Wednesday during the ninth day of the ongoing budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament in Exile.
MP Ven. Kunga Sotop raised questions on the attrition rate among teaching staff and the transition of contract teachers into permanent positions within Tibetan educational institutions.
In response, Minister Dolma acknowledged that 10% to 11% of teachers leave annually, with the overall attrition rate averaging around 30%. She clarified that teaching staff hired on contracts had not been granted permanent employment. “Teaching staff on contract are employed on a contractual basis and currently none of them have been recruited permanently,” she stated.
She revealed that the department had obtained both verbal and written approval from the Indian government to proceed with the permanent recruitment of contract teaching staff in the STSS. She emphasized that the department has been directed to adhere to the standard teacher recruitment procedures, which include a written examination and assessment of educational qualifications, among other criteria. She also noted that an official notice regarding this process has already been issued to the schools. The written examination is scheduled for the first week of June, and candidates who successfully pass will be offered permanent positions.
The STSS, one of four major Tibetan school institutions in exile, has grappled with challenges in recent years due to a significant portion of its teaching staff being employed on temporary contracts. The lack of job security has led to a high attrition rate, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability and quality of education in Tibetan schools.
During deliberations, parliamentarians also addressed the unsuccessful attempt to convert Lower TCV School into a residential chartered school specifically for Tibetan children raised overseas. The Education Minister explained that only six Tibetan children had enrolled in the school, making it financially unviable. The school was subsequently closed, and the students have been integrated with students at Upper TCV.
Additionally, the house discussed various issues, including Tibetan schools outperforming other educational bodies in India in the 2024 class XII CBSE results, the production of educational cartoons, the availability of retirement quarters for retired teachers, and the functioning of Tibetan weekend schools.
