Child Adoption Dilemma

Does it make sense to you? Is it going to work? Is it going to help in reshaping the behaviors of someone's child with someone's adoption?

The idea of the "One child One teacher" was a personal initiative of His Excellency Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay. It came as an order for all the schools to look for the leeway to adopt a child each, or more by the school teacher compulsorily. I was shocked. Child was shocked. Indeed, everyone was shocked. What is a Child Adoption? Whom to adopt? Why adopt someone's child? What are the basic rules to adopt a child? Do the acting parents need to produce legal certification from the court? In fact, the initial idea of child adoption had confused all of us thoroughly. 

Honestly, it took a long time to convince people working in the Ministry of Education –both teachers and students about this new initiative. Not to forget the biological parents –especially some literate parents felt not so fine. It wobbled them. But the majority of uneducated parents were unaware of this change being in the limelight. It made no difference for them. 

I saw many grievances being passed through social media and other platforms on this matter, some verily liked the idea and many were against this idea. This issue has erupted from both  parents and the teachers. More intelligent and clever parents felt that their child might be taken away by the acting parent (teacher) after their schooling, or once they get into a job. This isn't fair was the initial concern. On the other hand, teachers who need to act as a parent felt that this program would further bring them unnecessary workload, burden and so on…

We saw our parents worried so much at the same time it worried teachers back in the school too with this and that misconception. 

But let me tell you the actual purpose of the child adoption program (2015). We believe in providing quality education and branding our students to be innovative, enterprising and trustworthy citizens. The Ministry also felt that it is time to make a combined effort to ensure that every child in the school is safe. Under this initiative each teacher takes up the parenthood of one, or more students and supports them in academic improvement and some behavioral changes. 

From 2015 on, I've been acting as an adopted parent to many students. I finally could learn something from this initiative. 

I feel good to be a part of this program now. I feel lucky to have so many students who can refer to me as "My Adopted parent" even though I was not worthy. In the year 2015, I adopted one student as my adopted child (Sonam Tshomo from class XII science). However, in the following year school came with the brand new "pastoral care" idea and every staff needed to adopt at least 14 to 15 students, meaning school staff (both teaching and support staff) have adopted all the students. No student was left without adoption. This basically had created a better and lively environment for all of us and –beyond. 

In the year 2017, I took the charge of 16 students of different classes and guided them in academic enhancement and helped some in coping up with stress and emotion and other daily affairs. The best part was, I found each child amazing and unique.

Wangchen Dorji and I

However, for 2018 again we've reversed our child adoption policy back to one. We came back with this idea basically to focus on one child's development by providing quality time. For which I have adopted Mr. Wangchen Dorji of class XIE.

Wangchen Dorji and I had a twist of fate. I taught him in class IX. But due to some reasons he left Zhemgang CS and joined Yebilaptsha CS and completed his class X. He luckily qualified and he is back to Zhemgang CS. I'm happy for him. When he was in class IX, I scolded him, I even knocked him several times for not doing his work and punished for not obeying me. But sadly I didn't seek to understand his problem. 

However, what I've found new in him was, he wasn't that same Wangchen of 2015. He has changed top to bottom. He became handsome and more mature, he started to know his being in many ways and not to forget he also improved in his academic discipline. I started to feel he is a very special and talented boy from his class. He is always a hero for his father and to me as well now. 

As much as his father is concerned, now I hope to help him excel in his behaviors, passion for games and academic performance as well. I hope and pray he can become a role model not only for his father but also for the whole school. I don't want him to quit his academic life. 

The Life of a Bell Girl

In the fall of 1996, I first heard the sound of school bell as a little naughty boy. Thereafter, my life is all bound with bell as a student and now as a school teacher. In fact I've been hearing the bell sound for almost 1/3 of my life and how many more years to go is still a mystery. 

"Do you know Zhemgang CS has a bell girl?"

Bell Girl of ZCS for 2018

Let me introduce her –she is Ash Rani Subba. Student of XII Commerce and she is from Samtse District. Before coming to Zhemgang CS, she has studied in her hometown school. 

Although Zhemgang lies hundreds of miles away from her birthplace, which is hemmed behind mountains and the powerful Mangduechu following downhills. She picked this place to pursue her higher secondary schooling.   

I have seen our girls not willing to take such a hectic and nuisance responsibility boldly like her. Our girls turn down their face from bell ringing business because it is a cheap post. Even during my early school days, I did not see any girl coming out to be the bell captain. 

Many feel that bell captain should be a boy. This is our notion and intuition. Memories then were fresh of those rough boys taking up such heavily timed duty of ringing the bell.

In traditional Bhutanese society, ringing a bell has its own purpose and significance. We use bell during occasions like prayers, rituals and ceremonies. People also ring bell while entering into temples and monasteries with pride and honor to connect themselves with the God. 

Back in the school, it serves many purposes like wake up boarder students, guide students on study hours and change in periods during the day. It also marks the end of the day. 

Despite being a girl and a class XII student, she still chose to ring the school bell. She still chose to sacrifice her few minutes from her study and teaching schedule each day is a sign of great concern and love for the post. 

I know it require tones of positive energy to be someone like her because this job responsibility demand someone to be very highly efficient and trustworthy. Defect of one press and one minute delay would definitely bring many dispute, fury and frustration among people working in the campus. Thus, she needs to be very mindful, reliable and astute.    

For a long time, school follow a bell ringing system to discipline students and staff working in the campus. And bell controls every activities that happens within the school.

In my school she is one most important and powerful lady, she is the boss. She controls every moment of the school activities –class hours to meals and sporting to study.

  

If someone ask me about the best part of ZCS smooth flow in time, I can proudly say, my school has a bell girl. I wish her many successful life. I pray her success to be vast like the ocean. She is not only our bell boss. But also our Role Model. 

  

Bell Girl

BELLBOY JOKE

There was a church that has a bell that no one could ring. One day, a boy came and asked the priest if he could try. He went up into the tower and ran straight into the bell face-first. The bell tolled loud and clear. The priest gave him the job.

One Sunday, the boy ran straight toward the bell with his face and missed, so he fell off the tower and died.

“Congregation,” the priest said before the assembled masses. “Does anybody know this boy's name? I don't know him, but his face rings a bell.”

Source: http://jokes.cc.com/funny-god/qg3e9q/bellboy

Hope of Education

I wasn’t surprised by Kuensel headline, dated April 2nd on ‘teachers will require master's degree in the 12th plan.’ But doing away with teacher licence system has surprised me more. I was more confused now. I was confused with uncommon reason. If they feel teacher come out with licence to teach. Then why teacher licence in education blueprint. Because education blueprint serve as a bible for ministry. Whatever happens has to happen within the periphery of the blueprint.  

Why this concern at wrong time when we have already lost enough qualified and dedicated teachers from the field? 

High quality teachers are must. But not necessarily a teacher licence system will find better option for the job, job of a teacher, job within the four walls of the classroom. Is our teaching job an admirable enough for anyone wishing to join teaching force? Do teaching job have enough salary to match all those series of test and exams?

Obviously Finland has the finest education system in the world. It is not because of teacher licence system. Teaching job in Finland is one of the most sought after career because they have everything in place –right kind of curriculum to policies in place. Salary and teachers welfare are the prime concern. Not to forget world class building structures and smart classroom setting are what they have for so long. The one thing I like about Finland education system is everyone regard teaching job as the most important job. High academic performer with high aptitude opt to become a teacher. It is all due to salary and job reputation. Teaching profession are the noblest job in Finland. 

2013 survey showed that Finland has a very high retention rate for teachers, almost about 90% of trained and qualified teachers remain in the profession until retirement. They have a curriculum which support creativity and innovation. Their curriculum serves the daily purpose. And usually their curriculum changes on need base and not like ours. I still could remember how I was made to remember 'Maasai Herders of Tanzania are the most backward people –they are hunters and live in jungle which was not true and Cocoa cultivation in Ghana –as if India don't cultivate.' Now I have realized enough that Tanzanian and Ghanaian people are far better than us. A cow boy of Tanzania own iPhone even before we knew Apple Company was there. We only knew Apple which fell on Newton's head through Physics subject. Isn't it eerie?

Are our trained teachers not capable to teach our students in the school? Are they not teaching professionals? Aren’t our teachers certified to teach? It seemed our teachers have learnt only about stones and walls during their training periods. Because our teachers are underrated. What more than this? Is it that they deserve a licence for their poor conduct as a teacher? 

What is teacher licence? Why teacher licence system when we don't have enough trained and qualified teachers in the field? I feel we still have very unbalanced teacher - student ratio in the field and we still demand for teaching licence. What next?

I feel one way it is good to introduce teacher licence system to better off our education quality. But where are we heading? Do teaching job have enough salary to match all those changes and high demands of –lesson plan, child adoption, planning, preparation, assessment of the students, making of teaching learning materials, games and sports etc... If our government was concern about education they must have done it FIVE year before. Now who will bother about ministry’s vision of retaining teachers on wrong time. This is absolutely foolish. It don't make any sense to me. 

How many teachers have been enrolled in master program so far? Aren't we failing the vision 2022 of teacher master qualification requirement? 

What our ministry have done so far to retain our teachers in the field. Is it the hope of master degree that is still holding back our teachers in the field? Or is it that five days summer workshop keeping them back in the school? 

I have one piece of suggestion to the ministry of education –send those high academic performer and someone with high aptitude to pursue education training and not bad ones, if Bhutan wanted to be like Finland ten years from now. Otherwise, stop teacher licence business. It's not a profitable affairs at all. 

Read: http://ncee.org/what-we-do/center-on-international-education-benchmarking/top-performing-countries/finland-overview/finland-teacher-and-principal-quality/

Cross – Country Race

Cross – country race is a running race on open air courses over natural terrain such as muddy to grass, slope to straight and uphill to downhill. This race can be run by both men and women of all ages. This running race is one of the disciplines under the umbrella sport of athletics. The natural terrain version of long-distance running competitions and its rules and regulations has emerged in Britain. This event is a real test for the tough nerve and a diligent heart.  

The formal cross country competition traces its history to the 19^th century and an English game called “hare and hounds” or “the paper chase.” Initially English schools started this competition way back in 1837 and finally could established a national championship on 7 Dec, 1867.  The competition was held on Wimbledon Common in south-west London. The first ever Olympic was held back in 1912. During this Olympic, Sweden took home the gold medal.  

Although this discipline of sport was existed there for a long time but far –beyond our dream until we planned to give it a try for this academic year. In fact, the history was made in Zhemgang CS for hosting such a rare event, the event of hope and dream for an aspiring runners in near future. Perhaps this race is first of its kind here in the District. This was possible due to the collective work put forward by our management team, staff and students. 

Almost all the schools and other organizations has very rich idea for a usual marathon as well as a rich running experience but not many has the experience to run this running discipline. This run requires lots of determination, strength, power, technique and energy. The participant needs to be absolutely fine and efficient. While participants can run in any way they like within the track -one can run, march, walk, even crawl to complete this race. 

The school has organized this particular run event to devil the challenges of changing times. School always believes in providing the highest level of knowledge and experience. Not to forget academics are given the utmost and the highest priority within the dimension of 21st century pedagogy.  

We hope this event in particular would have given our student participants a rich take home knowledge and experience. We hope to see our students participating more in such rare event in future from any place of work. 

School congratulate to all the winners and participants for making this event a grand success and memorable in many ways. The winners of the race took home some handsome cash prizes. Nevertheless, the day's program ended with serving of chilly refreshment to sumptuous lunch for all the staff and students gathered to make a day. We hope more such life thrilling and uncommon event to take place hereafter. Indeed, school has many of such events in pipeline. 

You are our Dynamite

Deal Melissa Wong.

Let be begin with the apology for the delay in delivering your donation packet meant for small school kids. I could receive your donation cartoon box only somewhere in the month of December 2017. By then most of the primary schools [equivalent to elementary school in your place] across the country gets over with academic session. It is almost time for 45+ day’s long holiday, we call winter break here. So, this way I could not delivery your gift pack last year. I kept it hold for the following year, 2018.

Unlike big schools, primary schools reopened only on Feb 13^th for kids. By then again it is time to celebrate HM’s birthday and in between we too have few days New Year’s holiday. So, the month of February in Bhutan is one of the busiest month. That is how I couldn’t reach your donation to schools. Again I wasn't sure to give your donation box straight to schools. I discussed exclusively with my principal for the most appropriate schools and the kids. We discussed about the possibility of more disadvantaged kids within the District [province or state in your country]. Unanimously we finally decided to send your donation box to two schools –Barpong Primary School which house for 23 students and two teachers. Degala Primary School which house for 26 students and two teachers. Degala PS has two muscular teachers who looks after these 26 students; two teachers are their parents, brother, sister, energizer, hero, idol and even a big cat. 

  

I am unsure how shall I begin my conversation with you. I am thoroughly touched by your affection, warmth and concern to my country. I am out of word to describe all these; your love for the Bhutanese children and to my country, Bhutan in particular. I know how much close you are with Bhutan and Bhutanese already. I know the best of the best. Since, your magnanimous action tells us so much more than the words can describe. It is –beyond word to express your novelty. I can’t express your love for Bhutan in any forms of kindness at any cost either.

I was worn in the land of Thunder Dragon, country full of mountains and valleys. You were born somewhere far away in the west to a beautiful island. You live somewhere in the Skyscrapers which I have just seen on television, where I live in the traditional Bhutanese mud house which you are very familiar. It maybe –beyond your dream to recall when I say this to you and you know the best because I knew you have already visited my country for several times now. Perhaps, it is very true and genuine. But it is very happy to say that both of us share a common ideology and the passion for doing a social justice, service above self. We love kids, kids who are unprivileged in thousand ways.

Although Bhutan is govern by the principle of GNH yet it is difficult to meet and cover the days demand, demands of three decent meals for many of us. The reasons could be the difficult land geography and the other could be our fate. For many parents it is always difficult to meet the demands of their school going kids, the basic requirements of stationery items is hard to spell, not to forget their school uniform and school bags most of the time remains as a promising lips story. I mean there is a huge challenge in meeting all these demands.

There are challenges and hope for all these in coming times and you have rescued at least 50 innocent soul this time with your little stationery gift packet. It means a lot for them and Bhutan. It means a lot for the parents of those innocent kids. It means a lot for Ministry of education. It means a lot for teachers working there, in the most remote pocket of the Zhemgang District. Honestly, they are untouched by many modern amenities – motorable road, technologies, market, etc etc…are just their far dream from now.

To reach their schools it can takes approximately four to five hours for a muscular man from the nearest road head. But they may be the happiest people, untouched by all most all the modern gears to drive them away from families and friends. They have plenty of time to play with their mates at schools and parents at home. In fact, they have the luxury of time and space. For these innocent kids you became the new hope and the light even though you are several oceans away.   

I have already conveyed your goodwill messages of hopes and aspirations through their school principals. I hope two school principals would have done it well. These kids are our hope and our future leaders who will be driving us more into the changing world of humanity. I am also very sure they have a very special heart for you. You are already in their heart. You are their idol. You are their point of reference and you will be remembered for rest of their life.

Nevertheless, on behalf of them, their parents, teachers and principals I would like to thank you so much for the donation, donation you have made for these innocent kids of far-flung village of Digala and Barpong under Zhemgang District.

Note: The below are the images of Degala Primary School kids and two school teachers. I will update when I get Barpong Primary School detail images. Thank you so much!

Note: Melissa Wong is a lady who live in Australia. Born in China-Malaysia. She donated 50 numbers of gift packet of basic stationery to primary kids.

What you think about Book Business?

"Dear Sirs and Madams" I have book to sell. Would you all not mind to have a copy each, please? The book is authored by our fellow Bhutanese and it's a good book to read. The book has an excellent inside story. At least you all can buy for your kids, please. The cost of the book is Nu. 350.00.  

"Sir, please can you wait for a moment." I needed to discuss this matter with my wife. I waited with little hope and the reply was, "sir my wife had already planned to buy her hair gel." So sorry Sir. It's Okay. I said. Anyway, thank you so much for your interest. 

Perhaps, the most gut-wrenching moment is when you are made to wait and hear nothing positive. However, I did not stop here. I went straight into different classes and posed the same question.

"Dear boys and girls" I have book to sell. If you are interested to have a copy of the book please you can see me with Nu. 350. To further authenticate and arose some curiosity I have them briefed on the book and the author. I told them it's a good book to read but at the same time I also warned them, the author isn't the owner of Silicon Valley nor an American Boy. The author is an ordinary fellow Bhutanese, friend of everyone. However, I could happily read some reluctant faces in some corners. I have seen many have openly submitted their unwillingness and few have turned down as far as to south.  

So many question started to erupt over into my mind. How many of us read books for fun? How often we take our kids to book shop? Are our kids cultured to buy and read books? Do we want our kids to be a good reader when they finish their schooling? Can reading a book help school going children do better in their academics? Are we still hoping to get all free supply of reading book for our kids? Are we waiting for national reading week to come? 

But in my case, I have to sell those books. So, I kept chasing for each willing buyers till I finish my job. Honestly, I did not stop there when I was tired and exhausted. I tried and sold all the copies of the book like a hot cake.

Anyone planning to publish a book in near future need to ask questions like the market opportunities and the publishing house before putting pen to paper. I see particularly there are huge risk involved in this business. I feel so sorry for the willing heart though. 

If you think reading can create magic, buy a book of any kinds and start to read from now. 

Note: This article is completely a personal expression of the author and do not intend to harm anyone in any form.