EDITORIAL

The Annual Incident Report Analysis of the JDWNRH deserves appreciation because a hospital cannot improve if it first refuses to acknowledge its own shortcomings. The report paints a picture of a hospital under immense strain. Patients absconding, aggression against staff, fights between patients, self-harm attempts, verbal abuse, and even a …

Bhutan has declared war on drugs. That war should not begin only when a young person is caught with narcotics. It should begin much earlier with the cigarette or vape in a student’s hand. Smoking has quietly become more visible in Bhutan. Students smoking in public is no longer an …

On 20 May 2026, this paper asked the media focal person of the Ministry of Finance (MoF) for the amount spent on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) system and the manpower allocated for GST implementation so far. The MoF media focal person said they were extremely tied up with …

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 …