Protect Himalayan Culture through Education

The teachers in the school are very dedicated, and see their work as a vocation rather than a job. Many of the teachers are ex-students themselves, and understand the challenging situations from which students come.

Dhanvi has been Teaching at ITBCI for 6 years.  She teaches English and Hindi. She taught in another school in a different part of India before, but came to ITBCI because of the different atmosphere.

She says there are many things about the school which make it a good place to work.

“The teachers are given space here and are able to work well as a team, we are confident and the school makes us feel free as teachers.

Here we have to be like a parent to the children as well as a teacher because often the children have no parents, or their parents don’t take care of them”

The teachers believe strongly in the vision of Dhardo Rinpoche who was the founder of the school, which is that everyone should have the right to a good quality education, no matter what their background or how poor they are. There is also a firm belief that education should include the arts and that every child should be supported to reach their potential not just as a student but as a human being.

When on a recent visit to ITBCI school I took some time to meet some of the school’s teachers and students. One of the students I met was Karma. She was very bright and enthusiastic and keen to talk about her experience at the school.

Karma is 14 and has been attending ITBCI school for 3 years, she lives in the school and a residential student. Her mother came to Kalimpong to try to make a living as she was in a very poor situation at home. Karma is of Bhutanese descent but was born in Nepal.

She says “at first when I came to the school I was feeling awkward as I didn’t know any of the other students and I was feeling shy, after a short time I started to make friends. Now my favourite thing about being here is that I live at the school with my friends, and that we get to spend a lot of time together”. She also says that she really likes the Tibetan dancing which they do in the school, and this her favourite extra-curricular activity.

Karma is enjoying her studies and wants to become a doctor when she leaves the school, and she knows that this will involve a lot of hard study. “I want to be a doctor because I want to help people who are suffering and make them better”.

I recently visited the school and spent 3 days with them. During my time with the school I was fortunate to be able to spend time with many of the teachers and the young students. Many of the young students told me of the tremendous challenges they face in their lives, some have lost parents very young, having been orphaned, and all come from very poor backgrounds. All of the students are extremely grateful for the opportunity which the school has given them to get the kind of education which would otherwise be unaffordable.

When I spent time with the teachers what impressed me most was their commitment and dedication to the school. Many of them spoke of the fact that working at ITBCI is like being part of a family, with an atmosphere of warmth and support. Teaching at the school is more than just a job to the teachers. Most of them have been with the school for more than 5 years, and some for as many as 20. All of the teachers are enthusiastic about the mission of the school, to provide an education to underprivileged children, and the teachers are proud to work in an institution founded by the venerable Dhardo Rinpoche.

The school is looking forward to celebrating Tibetan New Year soon, and will be closing for a short time for holidays after the children sit their exams. The school will launch the new year by redecorating all of its class rooms. Could you help with raising the money for this? The school needs to raise around £2000 streling in order to make the place bright, attractive and welcoming for new students.

Tashi Dhindup joined the school as a student in 1996. He came from the remote border village of Musthang with the hope of learning his native Tibetan language. During Saturday classes Tashi was taught Tibetan dance and music as part of the school’s cultural programme. He went on to join the prestigious Gangjong Doegar Performing Arts Group and now teaches traditional Tibetan dance with the group.

Tashi’s work has brought him all over the world as part of Tibetan performing art tours. But Tashi always retained his love for the Tibetan language. Last year he was appointed as Tibetan teacher in the Rockvale Academy, a well-known public school in the area. None of this would have been possible without the help of the school and its supporters.