Tibetan panel condemns China’s closure of educational institutions

Amid China’s crackdown on Tibetan-run private schools in China’s Qinghai province, the Research Centre of the Central Tibetan Administration recently organised a discussion in Dharamshala, highlighting issues faced by the community.

The Tibet Policy Institute (TPI) organised a panel discussion titled “Forced Closure of Ragya Sherig Norling Educational Institution: Causes and Impacts”, moderated by its Deputy Director Zamalha Tempa Gyaltsen.

Key participants included MP Pema Tso, Director of the Tibet Policy Institute Dawa Tsering, and Tibet Watch alumnus and researcher Shede Dawa.

The Chinese government recently closed a key vocational high school in Qinghai province, a Tibetan region, adding to a series of closures of Tibetan private schools in recent years.

During the discussion, Pema Tso highlighted the difficulties faced by Ragya Tsering Norling, and expressed his/her initial disbelief at its sudden closure on July 14 when accessing education via mobile. he/she emphasized the important role of the institution in Tibetan education, from which more than 2,200 students have graduated, and provided historical context about its founder, General Jigme Gyaltsen.

Shede Dawa, based on personal experiences, emphasised General Jigme Gyaltsen’s commitment to preserving Tibetan language and culture, despite his/her modest beginnings. he/she recalled his/her transformation from indifference to dedication under the guidance of General Jigme and underlined the importance of the Institute in nurturing Tibetan identity.

The panel, which also included MPs, additional secretaries and representatives of NGOs, all condemned the closure and its adverse impact on Tibetan cultural and educational institutions.

According to the report, there is a deliberate effort to promote Mandarin Chinese over Tibetan in education and public discourse. There are increasing restrictions on Tibetan language education, with Mandarin becoming the primary language of instruction in many schools. There are limitations on teaching Tibetan in higher education institutions, reducing opportunities for the development of the Tibetan language.

A recent report by the International Campaign for Tibet highlights the significant challenges faced by Tibetans on Chinese social media platforms such as Douyin, which is part of China’s strategy to undermine Tibetan language and culture in favour of promoting Mandarin.

Despite Chinese claims to support minority languages, including Tibetan, there has been no official response to Tibetan protests against these discriminatory practices. The report details how Tibetans face barriers such as restricted livestreams and comments in the Tibetan language, severely limiting their online participation.

Even Tibetan medical professionals struggle to communicate effectively in the Tibetan language due to language restrictions imposed by the platform. These actions are characterized as deliberate attempts to suppress Tibetan cultural expression as well as increase Mandarin dominance, which contradicts official claims of respect for ethnic minority languages.

The International Campaign for Tibet has criticised the strict censorship and monitoring of Tibetan-related content on platforms such as Douyin, which it sees as part of the Chinese Communist Party’s broader agenda to control narratives and suppress dissent.