Towards a holistic development, Dechencholing Higher Secondary School in Thimphu has launched a new School-Based Community-Aesthetic Initiative as part of the Bhutan Baccalaureate curriculum. Called Project Tharma, the initiative combines education with arts, creativity, and community involvement to make learning more engaging and meaningful.
Led by teachers and students, the initiative brings the Bhutan Baccalaureate’s focus on aesthetics and community involvement to life, encouraging learning beyond textbooks.
Aesthetics refers to using arts such as painting, music, and dance to support students’ emotional and creative growth.
“Since our school is one of the first schools to have the Bhutan Baccalaureate as our curriculum, we focus on five areas of development, and have introduced two new subjects: Sports and Aesthetics. These are not seen as co-curricular activities but as main subjects. Through the project Tharma, our aim in aesthetics is to develop a contextualised curriculum and enrich students’ aesthetic learning experience,” said Jamyang Yoezer, Lead, Project Tharma.
“We hope to remove the stigma that success only comes from becoming a doctor or engineer. Careers in music, dance, and the arts can be just as meaningful, even here in Bhutan. Our goal is to bridge education and artistic growth, and take it to the next level with the support of our community,” said Dhewa Selden Dorji, Student Liaison, Project Tharma.
The initiative will foster aesthetic and holistic growth through collaboration with artists, spiritual partners, and mentors.
Guided by Tulku Ngawang Thinley Lhendup, the project also integrates spiritual and contemplative learning.
The initiative is expected to align with national education goals, giving students more opportunities to freely express themselves through various programmes.
“Every child has unique talents beyond academics. We need to create an environment where students are happy and free to express those talents, and that’s why we came up with Project Tharma,” said Tashi Gyeltshen, Principal, Dechencholing Higher Secondary School.
Organisers said the initiative is more than a school project. It’s a model other schools can adapt and inspire holistic and value-driven education across the country.
Tashi Dekar
Edited by Sonam Pem
