The Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) has marked significant progress in the year 2024 by enhancing the education system. From international collaboration to innovative approaches, the ministry focused on improving educational landscapes, professional development, and promoting physical education and sports.
On 25 January, a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), with particular focus on Wood Engineering Technology, was signed between the MoESD, Bern University of Applied Sciences (Switzerland), and the Centre for Sustainable Development and Cooperation (CDC). The Bern University of Applied Sciences and CDC will support MoESD to design, develop, and provide relevant and high-quality skills education and training through systems development, technology transfer, and staff capacity building. The Chumey Technical Training Institute will be leading the initiative where a learning factory will also be established.
An MoU was also signed between the Department of Workforce Planning and Skills Development and Kasetsart University (KU) to foster closer ties and collaboration in education and skills development. The MoU aims to advance agricultural skills development at the Rural Development Training Centre’s (RDTC) efforts in transforming skills development in agriculture through programs in agro-industry, food science, product development, and marketing.
Additionally, a MoU with Bangkok University aims to strengthen ties and establish exchange programs in tourism and hospitality, addressing youth unemployment and creating high-quality services.
One of the significant milestones in MoESD is the launch of the first online learning platform, Educare Skill, which presents a diverse array of educational resources, all presented in Dzongkha, contributing to the long-term promotion of the national language.
The ministry also organized the National Space Challenges 2024, where team Wangdue emerged victorious, followed by teams Chhukha and Dagana, respectively. The challenge engaged 17 teams, each comprising three class XII students and a teacher from across Bhutan, who participated after being selected through an online aptitude test from a pool of 332 applicants.
The first-ever coding exhibitions on Hamster Bot Coding Exhibition were conducted for over 60 primary students, providing a platform for young enthusiasts to apply their coding skills while fostering curiosity, imagination, and a lifelong passion for learning and innovation.
To improve teaching standards, a total of 156 secondary school STEM teachers had trained on a professional development program across four locations, focusing on the latest teaching techniques and ICT tools mainly through Open Educational Resources (OERs).
Recognizing the importance of sport and physical education in school curriculum, a MoU was signed with the Bhutan Olympic Committee (BOC) to promote physical education and youth sports in Bhutan.
For the first time, the Scouts and Sports Division under the Department of Education Programmes launched the Sports and Physical Activity (SPA) Carnival for primary schools. This innovative initiative aimed to inspire a lifelong commitment to physical activity and sports, ensuring that children not only enjoy their school experience but also gain benefits in terms of better health, fitness, self-confidence, resilience, and interpersonal skills.
The first-ever Junior Cricket Tournament was held in Thimphu with the participation of 108 students, showcasing their skills in the under-10 and under-15 boys and girls categories. It was held to promote cricket among young enthusiasts and keep them engaged during the summer break.
The Service Level Agreement was signed between the ministry and GovTech with a focus on ICT and digital service transformation. This agreement aims to centralize ICT services and enhance digital service transformation to address challenges such as professional attrition and infrastructure burdens.
A MoU was also signed between the ministry and the Royal Institute for Governance and Strategic Studies (RIGSS) to enhance collaboration in leadership training and professional development of school leaders and educators in the country.
For the first time, Bhutan participated in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) 2024 with five high school students. IMO is the world’s most prestigious international mathematical tournament, which will bring together the brightest young minds from around 150 countries.
Bhutan successfully hosted the 8th South Asian Karate Championship and secured five silver and 37 bronze medals in various weight categories. The events marked the first time Bhutan hosted the event, with a total of 47 Bhutanese athletes participating in the tournament.
The 20th National Education Conference, themed “Transforming Education for a Better Drukyul,” was held, focusing on the future of Bhutan’s education system, and gathered various educational stakeholders.
The first-ever TVET Fair was also conducted, offering students, youth, and job seekers a unique platform to explore career opportunities and skills in the growing TVET sector. The fair featured exhibitions from ten technical training institutes showcasing over 50 courses in arts and crafts, agriculture, culinary, and other technical areas.
Bhutan Qualifications and Professionals Certification Authority were honored with the World Quality award by World Quality Congress and Awards in Mumbai. This esteemed recognition highlights BQOCA’s commitment to excellence in qualifications and professional certification.
The Bhutan Scout Association was honored with the Highest Current Market Share Growth Award during the 43rd World Scout Conference held in Egypt. This prestigious accolade recognizes Bhutan’s outstanding achievement in membership growth in the Asia Pacific Region from 2021 to 2024, highlighting the country’s dedication to fostering positive development in young people through the scouting movement.
The Scouts and Sports Division under the Department of Education Programmes also hosted a youth exchange program with cadet corps from Nepal and India to foster connections and mutual respect among the youth.
The ministry opened registration for resigned teachers wishing to rejoin as contract teachers to address attrition and teacher shortages. The ministry has also given an executive order to discontinue Saturday off for teachers. With the discontinuation of Saturday school days, schools are to plan professional development for teachers.
The 11th Education Sector Coordination Meeting was convened, bringing together key stakeholders from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) in a concerted effort to advance Bhutan’s education sector. A significant highlight of the meeting was the comprehensive updates on various GPE grants, including the System Capacity Grant, GPE Multiplier Grant, and System Transformation Grant (STG).
By Nidup Lhamo from Thimphu
