DEMOCRACY IN ACTION

Yangsel Wangyel from the Royal Academy in Pangbisa, Paro has won the 18th Golden Youth Award. He received a fully funded scholarship from Bhutan Youth Development Fund (BYDF) in United World College in Thailand to pursue higher education. The first runner up is Ugyen Rigsel from Lamgong Higher Secondary School, …

Last week, the government announced that the Economic Stimulus Plan (ESP) has kept aside Nu 844 mn as a one-year interest subsidy of 4% for the hotel sector. It has been learnt that Financial Institutions are willing to given an additional 1% interest debate provided the ESP is approved. Around …

The introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is reshaping how professional training institutes operate in Bhutan, affecting course pricing, administration, and student enrolment. Institutes say the new tax has added financial pressure in an already competitive market. One institute, choosing to remain anonymous, said that competition has made …

The Bhutan Qualifications and Professionals Certification Authority (BQPCA) has temporarily suspended and permanently de-registered several Education Consultancy and Placement Firms (ECPFs) over the years to ensure that applicants seeking education and employment opportunities abroad receive reliable and ethical services. ECPFs assist students with selecting programs, applying to universities, preparing documentation, …

Around Nu 166 million (mn) worth of copper cables were damaged in a fire that broke out on 21st  February at the storehouse of the Punatsangchu Hydropower Project I on the way to Basochhu. The fire occurred at the project’s storehouse at around 11 am to 12 pm, as reported …

The Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) has been working to address the shortage of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) teachers in government schools. The issue has become important as schools try to maintain the quality of education and meet the growing demand for STEM subjects. Although recent …

In order to advance Bhutan’s carbon market agenda, the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC), Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (MoENR) revealed that currently the nation has finalized four project proposals in collaboration with Singapore. According to the United Nations Framwork Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Article 6 …

The 2024 National Blood Lead Level Survey found that three out of four children aged 1-6 years have unsafe levels of lead in their blood. Children are especially vulnerable, absorbing lead at four to five times the rate of adults, which can directly impair brain development and long-term cognitive growth. …

Three months have passed since the Lucky Pem online lottery drew its winners on Bhutan’s 118th National Day, and the money, Nu 15 million, Nu 10 million, Nu 5 million, has begun to reshape lives in quiet, meaningful ways. Tshering Yangzom, a mother from Lhuentse, remembers the moment the first …

A week-long entrepreneurship boot camp for 30 families whose land falls within the Gelephu International Airport site concluded in the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) on 15 February. The boot camp marks the first phase of a comprehensive Training and Skill Development Programme designed specifically for households affected by GMC projects. …