Phub Dem 

The first Bhutanese Language School in Perth is expected to open beginning July this year.

Australia is a major foreign destination for Bhutanese seeking to study, work, and live.

According to a press release from the EducationPro, more than 17,000 Bhutanese live across different parts in Australia with the majority concentrated in Perth.

It states that around 500 Bhutanese children attend schools in Perth alone, as children above five years have to attend school.

Australia provides the opportunity for Bhutanese to live in a foreign country, exposing them to a multi-cultural, high-tech society. However, without a proper school, Bhutanese children are often deprived of learning the national language, Dzongkha.

According to the founder of EducationPro, Tandin Dorji, the parents do not have specific training or time to tutor their children personally.

“In the long run, this will have significant consequences on the youths and the country’s national objective of promoting and preserving the national language and culture,” he said.

It was found the parents face challenges in reintegrating their children once in Bhutan due to weak proficiency in Dzongkha.

“The children either lose a year, or they have to repeat because of poor language skills,” he said.

Considering the learning gap of Bhutanese children living and studying in Australia, the Bhutanese Language School is expected to be the leading centre of Bhutanese Language and Cultural studies with innovative programs.

The school will be offering a standard curriculum from Pre-primary to tenth grade as per the guidelines of the Royal Education Council and education ministry.

Furthermore, it will provide structured language development courses at foundational, introductory, intermediary and advanced levels.

The press release states that the school aspires to evolve into a cultural centre which will also serve as the contact for Australian citizens and foreigners, facilitating cultural exchange and promotion of Bhutanese culture and tradition to a broader global audience.

Tandin Dorji said that trained, qualified and experienced Bhutanese tutors within Australia would be recruited to deliver the programs and courses.

If this project in Perth succeeds, the team would explore options to run similar schools in other parts of Australia.

The firm claims to have raised a million-dollar investment from share capital.

In the meantime, the school will conduct a month-long seminar with 20 Dzongkha language experts to set the curriculum’s standards.

The school is founded by Tandin Dorji and Chencho Dorji a Bhutanese Actor.

Kuenlay Gyeltshen popularly known as Tolly will be the school’s research director with his experience as a Language and Cultural Institute’s proprietor in the country.