The National Education Conference has endorsed the proposal of the ministry of education to establish a Premier School or “School of Excellence” to bring quality education in the country.
Initially the plan was to establish a science focused premier school, however, it was further broadened to the field of technical and vocational skills, creative and performing arts, sports, humanities and social sciences, commerce and economics, and science, technology and mathematics.
The idea behind the policy is to foster a platform for students to explore individual talents in a wide range. The concept of school, which is optimistic to develop links with universities and other academic institutions, is expected to bring a greater level of competency.
“The execution of the concept will help the potential students to go further with well equipped facilities and specialized tutors,” said the monitoring officer and coordinator for Central School Unit, Kaka. “For those students who have the potential to be break the highest glass ceiling, it is the right platform, the idea is to explode their talents.”
However, he said the concept doesn’t mean to undermine those who will not get an opportunity to study in a premier school. “Our current education fails to recognize talents because all the bright, average and below average students being clubbed together can bring a very low level of competency,” he said. “And it doesn’t at all create a division among students and teachers, because it provides justice to their caliber. We should rather believe in justice than equity.”
Apart from hiring specialized and highly reputed teachers and equipping the school with facilities, Kaka said the curriculum might also have to be reviewed to specialize the students in a particular interest and field.
There were three proposed locations for the premier school in Punakha, Trongsa and Zhemgang. The number and location may be modified after research and study.
The concept and idea was also borrowed from Japan’s ‘Super Science School’ model. The grade for implementation of the premiere school will also be decided after the research and study.
The drafting of the concept, curriculum, budget and human resource requirement will be completed by April 2017.