Translated by TenGyal
As of July 14,2024, the Chinese authorities had closed Ragya Gangjong Sherig Norbuling, a privately respected institution.
On the morning of July 14th, a closing ceremony was held for the permanent closing of Ragya Gangjong Sherig Norbuling. The ceremony was attended by 18 representatives from the local offices of Qinghai Province, Golog, and Machen districts. Related sources shared that there have been recent search investigations and interrogations at the school about the presence of monks and nuns under the age of 18. Sources also share that there have been continual threats of punishment and fines if such individuals were found at the school.
The Chinese government is closing privately operated schools and monastic institutions and specifically targeting establishments engaged in the promotion and preservation of Tibetan culture and language.
On April 12th, 2024, Ragya Gangjong Sherig Norbuling received a notice to cease operations immediately. This decision was mainly due to the efforts of two Communist Party secretaries in Golog, who were pressured through a series of legal actions over the years.
In response to these developments, Ven. Ragya Jigme, the founder of the school, has posted the following on his private WeChat account:
“ O Golog Jigme Gyaltsen People’s Vocational School, if you lived only up to 30 years, at such a young age and in the prime of your body, it is indeed such a loss. Impermanence is indeed impermanence. Disintegrating moment by moment and not abiding unchanged is the inevitable fact of impermanence. As we accept rebirth and the unbroken succession of rebirths, it is now not remiss to dedicate our prayers to the next birth. If the dead cannot be resurrected, what good is it to cry and lament? It is better to pray to be born with an excellent and fortunate body in the next life. This is the best course of action. So, please, I request you all not to be sad and continue to shoulder your own responsibilities.”
According to the reliable source of Tibet Times, The school’s students formed the Pure Native Language Association. In 2018, this group was sued and taken to court over allegations that elements in their logo, the Jewel and Snow Lion, are symbols of the Tibetan national flag.
Ven. Jigme Gyaltsen also faced false allegations of corruption, on the pretext of having been the chairman of the Qinghai Tibetan Chamber of Commerce and Tibet Nomadic Management Office. The court proceedings cleared him of all charges. Yet, efforts to shut down the school continued with a series of false allegations. On 28th June, Ven. Jigme Gyaltsen published an article clarifying that the school has won and has been cleared of the legal charges brought against them.
Two months ago, as this reporter was gathering information to report on the completion of the water dam project in Ragya, it came to light that there were continued restrictions at Ragya Sherig Norbuling School and the fact that Ven. Jigme Gyaltsen was served several warning notices to shut down the school. At that time, in a clarification dispatch written by a professor in the school, Ven Gyiling Jigme, he said: “At that time, in a clarification dispatch sent by a professor in the school, Ven Gyiling Jigme, he said: “ Following the documents from the Qinghai Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, we cannot continue to operate the vocational school.”
Led by its director Ven. Jigme Gyaltsen, along with the Professor Vajra Tsultrim Gyatso, Prof. Sherab Tendar and Prof Dhong Yonten Gyatso, there were about 58 teachers and staff, and almost 1400 students in the school.
As a specialised vocational school, the institute offered seven specialised classes; Tibetan language, English language, Computer, Engineering, Medicine, Videography and Physical Education.
At least 2300 students have graduated from the school since 1994. Among its graduates, the school has produced at least 800 university students, 50 research students, 90 doctors, 110 government employees, 250 university teachers,13 headmasters,110 monastic workers and 260 specialised professionals.
Ragya Gangjong Sherig Norbuling School was formally established in August 1994 after receiving permission from the so-called Golog Local People’s Government. It was the first privately operated school in all of Qinghai Province.
On 14th April 2001, the Golog Local People’s Government approved its conversion to a special high school. In 2002, the Jigme Gyaltsen Private School changed its name to Jigme Gyaltsen Phende School. The Qinghai Civil Affairs Department officially selected it as one of the organisations contributing to public welfare in 2003. On 7th March 2006, the National Association of Vocational Education in China turned it into the Qinghai Experimental School. The school is considered one of the most reputed schools in Tibet for specialised Tibetan language studies.
On July 25, 2002, the Gangjong Jigme Gyaltsen Grassland Girl’s School was newly established. Ven Jigme Gyaltsen explained that the school was set up with the specific purpose of emphasizing that the education of a girl child is (as important as) the education of the mother- which can be considered as the first education of mankind.
After prolonged appeals and requests to the provincial and local government bodies, the school formally began its operations in August 2003. The school curriculum included Tibetan, Mandarin and English language, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, Geography, History and Political Science. It included a complete curriculum and subject materials for nine academic years. Study materials beyond the curriculum included textbooks on Tibetan grammar, spelling, poetry, and dialectics. More importantly, by combining traditional and modern methods of instruction, the students were taught to study Tibetan grammar, spelling and poetry through dialectic explorations.
Although the school was initially sponsored and supported mainly by ASIA-(Associazione per la Solidarieta Internaziole in Asia) with the Trace Foundation of America, and the Finnish Embassy, the Chinese government began to impose restrictions on foreign aid and assistance. In the end, the school was nationalised by the education department of Machen County.
