My Green School, a book by a Bhutanese educationist, Thakur S Powdyel, has been translated into Japanese language and is expected to be taught in schools across Japan.
Thakur S Powdyel, who had also served as education minister, says his book was written to support the implementation of “Educating for Gross National Happiness”, an educational reform initiative launched in 2009.
The 124-page book presents the original English text and Japanese translation side by side with notes and pictures from both Bhutan and Japan with illustrations.
The book was translated by a Japanese professor, Miwako Hosoda, who is also the Vice President of Seisa University in Japan. It took her two years to translate the book.
The professor, in her afterword, says the book is packed with educational philosophies and that there is much that the Japanese, who tend to prioritize GDP and academic performance, can learn from Bhutan.
The book derives its life from the holistic development ideal of Gross National Happiness. It presents eight holistic elements- Natural, Social, Cultural, Intellectual, Academic, Aesthetic, Spiritual and Moral Greenery.
“For me, to have my book translated into a great language of a great people is not only deeply humbling but greatly inspiring,” Thakur S Powdyel said.
“It is not only my message that My Green School tries to communicate. It is the message of my country. It is the message of Bhutan because deep at the heart of My Green School is the great vision of development called Gross National Happiness articulated and gifted to us and the world by His Majesty the Fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuck.”
The author says education, which was once regarded as a noble sector by the wise has, over the time, been reduced to a mere acquisition of knowledge and certificates.
“Today, education systems across the world are deficient in many respects. They prepare people for careers, factories, corporations and the job market. But life is more than that. And we must be able to prepare young men and women not only to be career conscious but also good human beings,” the author added.
“So, in My Green School, that depicts the major claims on teaching and learning. I believe, we have a kind of a paradigm for holistic education. In a nutshell, My Green School presents the major elements that, I believe, holistic education ought to have.”
Besides the Japanese edition, the book has also been translated into four other languages- Spanish, Catalan, Vietnamese and German. The German edition is yet to be published though.
The Vietnamese edition was rated among the top five translated works in the country in 2016. It is taught as part of curriculum in Hoa Sen University in Vietnam.
