His Majesty the King, while speaking to the teacher trainees of Samtse College of Education, said they should lead by example. His Majesty said the teachers should have a mantra and that they cannot give good character to children, if they don’t have one.
His Majesty is accompanied by Her Majesty the Gyaltsuen.
“…You cannot tell children to be strong if you are not strong yourself. If you don’t know anything about the subject that you are teaching how much of it are you going to give to your students, you cannot give what you do not have…”
Upon arrival yesterday, His Majesty the King was received by the Director General of the Samtse College of Education, Education Minister, Mingbo Dukpa and the faculty of Samtse College. His Majesty spoke to over 400 student teachers in attendance.
His Majesty said the teachers cannot give what they don’t have. His Majesty said they are going to be touching thousands lives and that they can influence, shape and mould them during their formative and impressionable age. When the students do well, His Majesty said, the teachers would have been rewarded. That’s when the teachers know they have made a difference and that’s the reward of being a teacher, His Majesty said.
His Majesty the King also said that learning to learn is what teachers must teach their students.
“… Having spent 10 years in school is no going to prepare you for future. But if you have learned how to learn while in you are in school, if you had good teachers who taught you this values and such discipline than you will survive not just in Bhutan, but in America, China, Bangladesh, India. No matter where you are in your life, you will always be able to find your way back home and you will always do well in any environment”.
At present the Samtse College of Education has 185 Post Graduate trainees and 549 Bachelor in Education. It has 54 teaching staffs and 48 supporting staffs.
Meanwhile, Their Majesties visited the Samtse Higher Secondary School today. His Majesty and the Gyaltsuen were received by the school’s principal, education minister and faculty members.
Later in the afternoon, their Majesties also visited the Shivalaya Mandir in Samtse and offered a ceremonial vase which will be installed in the east column of the existing temple, around which new structure will be built. The Shivalaya Mandir is being rebuilt upon the command of His Majesty the King as a gift from His Majesty to the people of Samtse to commemorate the Royal Wedding.
Shivalaya Mandir, the temple for Hindu Community of Samtse, is 14.47 metre high. It was built in 1969.
The extension of the temple is expected to start in April this year. It will occupy 72 decimals of land.
The Mandir will be completed next year as part of the celebration to mark the 60th birth anniversary of His Majesty the 4th Druk Gyalpo.
The project will cost Nu. 21.2 million. It will be funded by the government.
