The Destruction to Continue Beyond Repair

In 2013, I've first walked into this place to be an Educator. It's all about my fate to be in this beautiful place - much untouched from destruction, much isolated and many unexplored nature for human benefits and consumption. Back then Zhemgang was a beautiful place.

Soil erosion - BPC tower

Of course, many things have changed and progressed after my arrival. But, not to this extend of progress. The one that I felt much concern with the establishment of 'New Electric Tower' on mountain top, where the land feature is not suitable to hold these heavy equipment’s and machinery. Once it was a place to remember for its serene nature, a place that has everything intact - from abundant fresh air to greenery. Once it was a heavenly place for countless lives and now it has become a place beyond mention. 

Who should be held answerable for this big environmental causes that can't be repaired with the whole funding that has been incur to build this tower? Should we say 'Government of India or Royal government of Bhutan' for investing to cause this debase work? If it is our government, who have unwisely used the money, no doubt we're digging our own grave yard.

BPC tower - 2016

I'm sure this place will take over next few decades to generate but never to its original firm. What has happened to this most appalling and highly foolish establishment of electric tower, which has caused irreparable damaged to thousands of living beings? We may never be able to undo the damage that has been caused but it is my hope that the government will do whatever is indispensable to rescue this kinds of activities in future for the environmental cause. We say loud that Bhutan is only Carbon NEGATIVE country and if we continue to progress over this kind of unplanned activities to run further how far can our environment sustain. That way - are we not pressurizing our nature?  

Landslide - July 2016

In the hope of few happiness or development we're losing our pristine nature that can't be even regenerated for centuries. With this kinds of human actions in place we're simply losing our nature that gives everything. Perhaps, in the name of country's development are we not creating black mark everywhere without any planned planning? Indeed, we've already lost enough of our environment to developmental activities which can't be undo by any special force. And still we're extracting, how far shall we continue and prolong our unplanned damage. 

 

I cannot say for sure but it may be possible that the tower will give back the human services for what it is meant for. The sole responsible agencies for the damages caused for this mountain top should think whether the demand has met or not. Government of India, Royal government of Bhutan, Bhutan Power Cooperation limited and Ministry of Agriculture are the concern agencies that need to study the feasibility of land features for any developmental activities otherwise, we'll cost even more to generate what we're gifted with.

I know if the Ministry of Agriculture, Bhutan would have barred the funding agencies from environmental clearance issues, this mountain erosion would have not occurred and caused this corrupt damages. If money can buy everything no doubt Bhutan will become next SINGAPORE in few years but where do we stand on only Carbon NEGATIVE country in the world. Isn't it a shameful activities we are planning everywhere. Of course, nothing can substitute the beauty of this mountain but there are other option still left for a wise planner for not aiming to dig and extract this kind of sloppy and unstable mountain in future. 

In 2014, this same spot looks like this - Tshogyal sir (pic)

Land destruction - opposite to Zhemgang Dzong

It is my belief that our concern agencies would have sold this mountain top to counterpart in good faith - based on the primeval conditions are made. Hope the laws that are made aren't go in vain. Therefore, should we chose to withhold the work progress that has brought enough destruction or penalize based on the environmental laws, can it substitute all the damages. I could see careless and unwise planning that has stand out into this electric tower; one not being ethical and the other not being visionary.

But one thing I can assure here without hesitation is countless money will flow in after the project is done, the view at the end of the construction will be consummate but where are we heading for the world's big idea of Carbon Supply.  

Night view of Zhemgang Town from mountain-top 2014

View of Zhemgang - Tshogyal sir (pic2014)

William Shakespeare

Royal Education Council is likely to reintroduce Shakespeare in the English curriculum for secondary schools after nine years gap. It is to replace dramas for present class XI and XII have in the curriculum, from 2017 academic session.

Shakespeare was discontinued in 2006 with the introduction of New Bhutanese English Curriculum. Many had felt Shakespearean language was obsolete and difficult and that is how it came to a halt. 

However, based on the discussions carried out by REC with English teachers across the country, the reintroduction of Shakespeare was deemed important. All the English teachers felt that it has cavernous meaning, much quintessence and values which are not seen in the dramas being taught in the new curriculum.

William Shakespeare  

But with the reintroduction of this new curriculum I am bit confused whether our new generation can adopt with it or not - thou, thy, thee, wouldst, dost. I'm somehow lucky to get last chance to study the old English curriculum when I was in class ten. At least I know who is William Shakespeare and his few textbooks that was there in our old curriculum.  

I wish - All the best for the successful reintroduction of Shakespeare textbook and hope our new generation can get better chance to explore all about Shakespeare in the wheel of technology.  

For more detail: http://www.bbs.bt/news/?p=60908

Roles of a Teacher

Ten main roles of a teacher in school. 

i.   Maintain high degree of class discipline which is indispensable for effective learning.

ii.  Take care of the class attendance and the other necessary key records.

iii.  Prepare the result sheets and progress reports of the class students.

iv.  Regularly check the uniform and the cleanliness.

v.   Act as a bridge between the parents and the students on any issues.

vi.  Effectively implement student’s code of conduct.

vii.  Act as a role model for the students and promote wholesome education.

viii. Coordinate students for all types of class competitions – cleanliness, campus beautification, SUPW, reading programme, games and sports, classroom care and development.

ix.  Provide academic, pastoral care and support to each student in need.

x.   Inculcate good character and conduct in each student. 

 P.S: Thank you -  all teachers for the values that you have given to us. You all are great and we will always remember your kindness and the love that you have shown to us. 

Dzongkhalum the NEXT Reutela

Off late, I was just worried about peerless Reutela which has claim thousands of life and the other properties but now it's the new unbeatable Dzongkhalum that holds far more concern for the road users. Recently, we've seen Dzongkhalum that connects between Trongsa - Zhemgang being the 'National Headline' for the same reason.

www.nawangpenstar.com - Road cutting, Dzongkhalum.

Round the year the main concern that holds the mind of people residing in Zhemgang region is the unbeatable Road Lock – box cut towards southern parts and the Reutela to west.

Onset of monsoon season every year brings so much hoax for the national highways and to the local roads. Most of the time many places remains isolated or cut-off because of road conditions. In fact, this new road widening works at Dzongkhalum has created unmeasurable travel for travelers. 

This summer this highway has given enough danger and had brought great loses, some even lost their lives. This season this road has remain almost blocked for many reasons – road being too slippery, narrow and falling boulders.  

I was stunned and absorbed by something unfamiliar with this road widening at this point – road block and loss of life. 

Should we say we're heading towards better developmental phase or simply every time the quality of work are being compromised? 

I have seen road in Bhutan is not poorly financed rather it is poorly maintained and access, who should be held responsible for this? How old and stable is our road, five-years-old or ten-years-old, very stable or baseless, it always remains the ultimate test and the challenges?

I've heard many dangerous updates for 'Box cut and the permanent Reutela road trips' – countless people has already lost their lives down to Disneyland. Let's not put any blame to our land geography alone. It's our planner who always fails to come up with better solutions in place. 

 

www.nawangpenstar.com - Road widening, Dzongkhalum

Therefore, anyone who wanted to avail this road service can always prepare and scale the road conditions before journey otherwise, it'll be a great loss, waste of time and the resources. I can say this road is not for emergency exit for a rainy season until road conditions becomes stable. Even, if one get chance to cross this road point one need to put life on the danger line or risk everything. The chance of survival and the successful passing through this narrow and slippery road stretch always remains 50 by 50 of the real chance of survival. With new road widening works and monsoon season has brought real risk and the danger to all the commuters, risk is not too far away from us. 

Reutela has a long standing story for countless losses of lives and the vehicles. There are vivid narration where some vehicles or dead body even did not reach to the base of the cliff. I am sure same thing will happen for Dzongkhalum. 

Why can't we plan for better and more reliable road network or road connectivity through proper planning and surveying? When world already has 'the best and the most advanced technology at hand', why can't we go for it, which has everything – the safety measures and the cost factor. The other option we can have is tunneling some danger road point. 

Nevertheless, Bhutan always rank top on the gravity of road crisis. Let's hope for the elite road to elite cars, it's all about being smart. 

Let's put the safety first. 

Organic Farmer of Paamm - zhemgang

Moved by his inhabitant materialistic inclination, his indispensable role even at this age never let him off. All I see is, success in life depends on right combination of luck and hardship. Both are complementary. However, priority must be given to kindness and the hardship, for it can definitely improve the quality of life. Let reason guide us not the escalating tension all around. I am happy to see his great gears – the combination of his hat, dress, polythene plastic and his firm eyes. ALL THE BEST.

Farmer at Paamm - Zhemgang

Reading Technique

Step one: Orientation

Goal: Pre-reading preparation

Look carefully at anything that can give you information on the reading. Table of contents, the introduction to the story, the title, sub-headings within the story, glosses and vocabulary. (What kind of text it is – fairy tales, report, journal etc.), whether it is mainly action or dialogue, whether it is internal or external interactions among the characters and whether it is in chronological order or not.

Step two: Skimming

Goal: to get the general meaning of the text/story without trying to decode exactly what each word means.

Read the whole text/story thoroughly and silently twice. Do not use a dictionary – to help you resist the temptation to decode the reading word-to-word, you should time yourself, allowing no more than two minutes per stanza and finally look for mental summary.

Step three: Scanning

Goal: to extract specific pieces of information.

In real life you might scan a train schedule for one kind of information, a travel brochure for different information and a theater program. From the literary texts in this course you will extract certain basic facts by scanning it. Read through the text again very quickly, scanning for the things as asked for. To focus the attention more clearly, underline some texts or lines or words preferably in different color or ink.

Step four: Decoding

Goal: thorough comprehension

After you’ve skimmed and scanned, there’ll still be stretches of text that offer vocabulary or grammatical differences you can’t overcome easily. In those cases, intense reading – detailed, word-by-word decoding is necessary. So, now read again, this time slowing down and decoding these sections – carefully analyzing each word unit. Remember to think about structure as well as vocabulary when you are working. Establish logical relationship by finding connectors. Identify to what or whom a word or group of words refers and locate important words in the phrases or sentence, like the subject, main verb and important pronouns.

Step five: Global understanding

Goal: to understand and critically evaluate the why of the text.

The questions like why did the author put this remark or description in this place and not in another, what is the meaning of a fact alone and in relation to other facts in the texts? 

The Fate Decides

Friendship photograph - xii sci (2008): Photo courtesy: Facebook

When man can’t survive by bread alone, he need to grasp the other options for survival. Sometime he even need to sacrifice his own life and the loved ones.  

While some rooted from south and some from west, have different religion to family backgrounds, likes and views yet gathered for a common end goal called – education, unruffled at the southern belt of the country.

Amongst this group, some decided to become an architect, some engineers, some officers, some fashion artist but myself and few more had chosen to become a teacher - the nation builders, the teaching force.

Had it been not privileged to be in this circle of friend we might have missed or not have seen many such beautiful life events? Now we can't say when it will happen such friendship gathering. Friendship isn't all about the in-depth schedule of getting together all the time but rather a remembrance alone is enough many a times.

Although, we don't know who own the greater fate, we even don’t have any written trademark on our forehead and the strength to become someone great and that isn't so easy either yet we made it in a small way that is what we are today.

When I chose to become a teacher I didn’t know anything about a teacher and teaching profession but upon becoming a teacher, I came to know endless things and what it is to be a great teacher. As a teacher I believe every day is a new beginning, every encounter a league and I am in it to make a difference. I'm in it to make a legacy that would remain for entire cohort in the heart of millions. Because teachers are the silver bullet of any nation to persist.

As a teacher I have learnt different behaviors of kids at school, I am into lifelong learning culture, every day is a new journey, every day I am directly or indirectly influencing the future generations. And teachers are also the role model and the point of references and that is what I have chosen to become unknowingly.

Had it been given a chance, I would rather became like any one of you, who don’t need to prepare daily lessons, do not have to dress-up properly and do not need to receive any insalubrious remarks.

Although, our togetherness was just for two years or so yet we became an intimate friends, friends for life. Our friendship bonds are still stronger and unbreakable in many ways and I hope to carry on till the end of time. And that is the best part we have learnt along with our daily syllabus and schedules within and –beyond classroom. But for me, there isn't any solid basis to be a teacher rather it came with an absolute threshold of the destiny and remember nothing can change that.

Gone are those days but not forever; there aren’t anything special than taking some special moment a photograph together, which can remain throughout life as a memory. Nonetheless, anything less than a friend would be a complete ambiguous.

It is this circle of friends who have put things together, the values of good human being and provided the force that would never end. Every friend aren't quite so dramatic within but they still come and make some differences and that is what exactly has happened with us.

I am very sure this moment would never come back and meeting together in the same form, same face and all together can never be possible but we can at least cherish the moment of togetherness through this image. When I look at the image I feel like I am still young and handsome. I wish I can stop the clock and turn back the time so that we can still be together – naughty and funny!

Although I couldn't become like you all, nevertheless I am surviving as a classroom teacher. And remember that is how beautifully I am educating your child at school.  

There had, of course been no conspiracy, - the north man had to compete with the south man for the same end goal like whole class had for the same. All I could remember was there are many sleepless night, no day went by that easy either in the process of chasing a dream.

As a student we have never left things unturned. The voluminous chapter unwrapped for the endless competitions and that is how we could come out with victory.