EDITORIAL

The videos of physical assault and bullying from Lungtenzampa School sent shockwaves across the country. The videos were not isolated incidents, as this paper also gained access to four more videos of students fighting in four other schools. The same week also saw a female student in Thimphu die by …

The 5.5 magnitude earthquake that struck on the night of 7th June caused little damage, but it delivered an important message. Bhutan remains vulnerable to a major earthquake, and complacency would be our greatest mistake. Findings from the Department of Geology and Mines should concern policymakers and citizens alike. Bhutan …

The debate on must-pass subjects goes to the heart of a larger question about the purpose of education. No one disputes the importance of Dzongkha, English and Mathematics. Dzongkha is central to our identity and culture. English remains the language of instruction and a gateway to higher education and global …

Gyalsung is becoming a real force that is shaping the character and future of Bhutanese youth. With close to 10,000 Gyalsups now joining more than 56,000 Desuups, Bhutan is carrying out one of the biggest nation-building efforts in its modern history. At a time when many countries are becoming more …

The debate over the MaX system and the Bell Curve is no longer simply about performance rankings. It has evolved into something deeper: trust. The Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) is right in one crucial aspect. Bhutan cannot return to a culture where almost everyone is rated “excellent” and accountability …

Bhutan’s GST experiment is increasingly looking like an expensive solution in search of a problem. Four months into implementation, the numbers already raise serious doubts about whether the country should continue down this path. The government’s own figures show that GST collected Nu 3.17 billion in net revenue over four …

Bhutan is increasingly confronting an unintended consequence of mass migration to Australia. As more Bhutanese families return home with children educated abroad, schools are discovering that many of these students struggle to cope with Dzongkha, especially when it is a compulsory pass subject tied directly to promotion. The issue is …

The recent spike in fuel prices has placed Bhutan in a familiar but uncomfortable position of being  dependent, exposed, and largely in the dark. From Nu 63 to over Nu 100 for petrol, and with diesel effectively cushioned only by a staggering Nu 1.16 billion in subsidies, the official explanation …

The tragic death of a 17-year-old former monk in Sarpang raises uncomfortable questions that go beyond the narrow confines of a legal verdict. While the court has done its duty within the limits of the charges brought before it, the outcome leaves behind a deeper unease that cannot be ignored. …

There are stories that disturb, and then there are stories that indict. The recent reports from Norbuling Rigter College fall firmly in the latter category. In the first case, a young student lies in a hospital bed, his speech reduced to typed words, his future uncertain after a brutal assault …