Once land acquisition is confirmed, construction will begin immediately

Education: With the lion’s share of the budget allotted and the master plan in place, Dorokha middle secondary school (DMSS) in Samtse is all set to expand into a central school.

Among the 24 schools identified as central schools for the pilot phase this year, DMSS has been allotted Nu 254M (million), the highest of the Nu 3,487.196M that has been approved under India’s project-tied assistance.

Education minister Mingbo Dukpa shared this with the teachers and students during his visit on March 12.  The minister also told them that 24 central schools would be opened this year in 20 dzongkhags.

“This is the pilot project,” lyonpo said, explaining the piloting will make education ministry understand the advantages and disadvantages of running central schools.

Lyonpo Mingbo Dukpa said that understanding such aspects was important for the ministry to look at various options to make central schools better. “The sole objective of coming up with the central school scheme is to provide quality of education,” he said.

The minister also updated the school that the only task that remained to be done was the acquisition of land.

“It will take a few days to finalise the land acquisition, after which construction will start right away,” lyonpo said

When the land acquisition process is completed, the school will have more than 40 acres of land.  The central school will have a junior and senior campus with all facilities for some 5,000 students.

Dorokha middle school today has 967 students, of which 435 are boarders.  It has 36 teachers.  The school also provides midday meals to all students.

Lyonpo said the school would then render better learning experience and achieve quality education. “It’s better to have one central school with all facilities than have many small schools without proper facilities,” he said. “It’s sustainable for both government and people.”

The minister also stressed that the central school would give attention to extra-curricular activities.

Since Dorokha MSS was also built in 1955, lyonpo informed the students that the school construction was in celebration of the 60th birth anniversary of His Majesty the Fourth King. “It’s only appropriate we dedicate this to the Fourth Druk Gyalpo,” lyonpo said.

The education minister is visiting 24 schools across the country that will be centralised.  He has already visited Wanakha in Paro, Pakshikha in Chukha, Panbang in Zhemgang.

By Rajesh Rai, Dorokha

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