Construction of temporary classrooms is expected to complete in a month 

Phurpa Lhamo 

With increasing admission rush in schools in Thimphu Thromde, the thromde will construct temporary classrooms in five schools. 

The schools are Zilukha Middle Secondary Schools, Loselling MSS, Rinchen Khuenphen Primary School, Jigme Namgyel Lower Secondary School, and Kuenselphodrang Primary School. 

This year, around 795 students applied online for external transfer; 170 students are being directed from the education ministry, who were mostly 

students from Phuentsholing. In 2020, there were around 500 applicants for external transfer.
Thromde official said that internal transfer was decentralised to the respective schools, which will be done after the completion of external transfer admission. 




According to a thromde official, there was a significant increase in transfer cases, especially from shopkeepers and taxi drivers from Phuentsholing and the southern dzongkhags to Thimphu. 

“There are also many students coming from private schools to government schools,” the official added. 

Earlier, school administrations had raised concerns about the strain the increase of number of students would have on accommodation and on the student-teacher ratio. 

In an earlier interview, a principal said that this year each class had over 40 students, which was an increase from around 35 students in each class last year. 




“So I feel that the sections will also increase to six this year,” he said. 

Thromde official said that to address these issues, thromde would be constructing temporary classrooms in five schools. He added that work was already underway to ensure swift construction of these classrooms. “Classrooms would be ready in around a months’ time. Supplying tents was only proposed as a temporary option, which is being foregone as we are now constructing temporary classrooms.” 

Further, official said that thromde was also in discussion with the education ministry on immediate recruitment of teachers to address the shortage. 

While the policy states that the teacher-student ratio needs to be 1 teacher to 32 students, due to the increase this year, the thromde has increased the ratio for Classes pre-primary to III to 1 teacher is to 35 students. For grade VI to grade X, the ratio has been increased to 1 teacher to 40 students.