As a strategy to tackle the huge number of students seeking enrollment at schools in urban areas, the education and skills development ministry is strengthening feeder schools. Education and Skills Development Minister Yeezang De Thapa, during the Meet The Press session yesterday, said that it is also investing nearly Nu 20bn in improving schools in rural areas in the 13th Five Year Plan.
Parents and students, hoping for better results, often seek schools with strong academic performance. As a result, schools in Thimphu and Phuentsholing Thromde face pressure to manage enrolment, while rural schools are closing due to declining student numbers.
To address this, the education and skills development minister said that the ministry is improving the network of primary and secondary schools feeding students into higher secondary schools.
“We have introduced the feeder school system. Since parents and students tend to prefer well-known schools, we have strategically placed feeder schools to balance enrolment. We are also expanding key urban schools like Yangchenphug HSS, Motithang HSS, and Lungtenzampa MSS, which face overcrowding.”
She said the ministry is encouraging students who prefer boarding facilities to enrol in redeveloped Central Schools. The ministry also plans on expanding and modernising central schools with strong enrolment trends.
The minister also said that improving school transportation in rural areas and investing in rural education infrastructure will balance student distribution.
Therefore, as part of the 13th Five-Year Plan, the ministry is investing nearly Nu 20bn in improving school infrastructure, digital learning, and connectivity, particularly in rural areas.
An additional one billion ngultrum will be allocated for upskilling and reskilling teachers through local and overseas professional development programmes.
The ministry has been deploying expatriate STEM teachers from India to rural secondary schools to strengthen subject expertise.
Namgay Wangdi
Edited by Sangay Chezom
