8.1.1 Before the commencement of the First Five Year Plan, education in the country covered only the primary stage. In 1961 there were 59 lower and upper primary schools. About 140 Bhutanese children (100 with scholarships and 40 at their own expenses) were receiving education in India.
8.1.2 At the end of the First Plan, there were in all 83 Primary and 20 Junior High Schools with about 7,000 students and 375 teachers. During the Second Plan, four Junior High Schools were upgraded as High Schools. At the end of the Second Plan there were 83 Primary Schools7 15 Junior High Schools and 4 High Schools and there were about 9,000 students receiving education under the guidance of about 500 teachers. Besides these schools run by Government, there are schools managed by private bodies also. During the Second Plan, ten such primary schools were brought on Government grant‑in‑aid list.
8.1.3 For the first time in the history of the country 20 students passed Bhutan Matriculation Examination conducted by the Department of Education in 1968. Another batch of 18 students got through the same examination in 1969. Out of the first batch, five students were sent to Australia for further studies under Colombo P1an. Others were absorbed in different departmental training schemes.
8.1.4 In addition to the Public School established at Thimphu during the First Plan, one more Public School at Kanglung was set up during the Second Plan. The number of students being educated in these two Institutions is 350. The strength of teaching staff is 25. Both the Institutions are residential.
8.1.5 Construction of buildings for the Teachers' Training Institute which was started during the end of the First Plan, was completed during the Second Plan. The Institute started functioning in May 1968, with 40 trainees and 7 teachers including the Principal. The course is of two years' duration. On completion of training, the trained personnel are absorbed in primary and junior high schools.
8.1.6 A Technical School was started during the First Plan at Kharbandi for giving technical training in tailoring, mechanics, carpentry and automobile repairs. The carpentry section is at present given training to 160 students.
8.1.7 Three hundred and eight students are being given training in the Rigney Monastery School. This Institution intended to help preserve the cultural heritage of the country is also providing Bhutanese language teachers required for the schools.
8.1.8 As no text books were available in the national language, the Department of Education implemnted a Scheme for the writing and trans]ation of books in Dzongkha and Nepali. By the end of the Second P]an, about a dozen text books were made available for use in schools.
8.1.9 The work on conversion of Ta Dzong into a National Museum was taken up and completed during the Second Plan.
8.1.10 To provide facilities for higher education, a scheme for awarding scholarships to Bhutanese students in India was started in the First Plan and was continued in the Second Plan. Under this scheme, two hostels for boys and gir]s are being maintained at Kalimpong for such students as are not able to get seats in respective boarding houses of their schools. Students are being awarded scholarships for degree course under degree scholarships scheme. The Department of Education is also extending facilities for technical studies, such as Engineering and Medical, to Bhutanese students.
8.1.11 Even with all the faci]ities provided during the first two plans, it has not een possible to cater to the needs of the country in this important fie]d. A large number of students have still to be educated in schools in India which calls for substantial expenditure. During the Third Plan the education system of the country will be strengthened so that it may not be necessary to send students to India except in highly specialised fie]ds like Engineering, Medicine etc. With this end in view a new orientation has been given to the system of education in the country during the Third Five Year Plan. During the Third Plan the aims would be:
8.1.12 When all these schemes proposed above are fully implemented, the country will be benefitted in more ways than one. It will become, to a large extent, self‑sufficient in regard to the need of educated personnel for its develop mental programmes.
8.1.12.1 Direction: The establishment under this scheme will exercise an overall control on the programmes in respect of education.
8.1.12.2 Primary Schools: During the First and Second Plans, 83 primary schools were established in different parts of the country. But it has been noticed that in about 30 schools the number of students has been rather discouraging. It has, therefore, been decided to close down all such primary schools where attendance is less than 30. Thus, approximately 30 primary schools may have to be closed down. A few good primary schools are also proposed to be upgraded as Junior High Schools.
8.1.12.3 Junior High Schools: Out of the existing 15 Junior High Schools, 8 schools are going to be upgraded to Central Schools. The primary schools are proposed to be upgraded as Junior High Schools. In all during Third Plan there would be 11 Junior High Schools.
8.1.12.4 Central Schools: The practice hitherto followed had been to upgrade Junior High Schools into Higher Secondary Schools as and when considered necessary. It is, however, felt that instead of raising all Junior High Schools to the status of Higher Secondary Schools in course of time, some places may be selected all over the country for the location of Central Schools which could cater to the Primary and Junior High Schools of neighbouring areas. Such Central Schools would be strengthened by additional facilities like hostels, libraries etc. so as to provide a nucleus for good education. This would thus result in utilizing the limited resources more gainfully by concentrating efforts in fewer places rather than spreading out the same in a larger number of schools. A new orientation has thus been given to the existing scheme of upgrading the Junior High Schools to Higher Secondary Schools. The existing Higher Secondary Schools will also be redesignated as Central Schools. Includ ing the existing Central Schools (Higher Secondary Schools), by the end of Third Plan, Central Schools will be set up at the following places:
| Thimphu, Paro, Samchi, Sarbhang, | ||
| Mongar, Tashigang, | } | With facilities for scientific studies. |
| Punakha, Shemgang and Lhuntshi. |
8.1.12.5 Thimphu Degree College: With the expansion of education, it has been felt necessary to establish one Degree College to cater to the needs of higher education to matriculates. This Degree College is proposed to be located at Thimphu. To begin with, Arts faculty is proposed to be opened. Under this faculty, Dzongkha, Nepali, English, History, Economics, Political Science and Philosophy are proposed to be introduced.
8.1.12.6 Public Schools: Under the command of His Majesty, the King of Bhutan, one Public School was started in Thimphu in the last year of the First Five Year Plan. Taking into consideration the needs of the people of eastern Bhutan, one more Public School was started during Second Plan at Kanglung. The main aim of opening these two Public Schools was to prepare students for Senior Cambridge or equivalent examination. The education in these two schools is on the same pattern as in Public Schools in India and abroad. The construction of school and residential buildings has more or less been completed at Kanglung, whereas at Thimphu it is still in progress. To cope with the anticipated increase in admission in these two schools, provision for 225, 250, 275, 300 and 325 students has been made for each school in respective years of the Plan. Since both the schools are residential, provision for boarding, clothing, uniforms etc., has been made for all the students in addition to the free supply of text books, stationery and sports goods.
8.1.12.7 Teachers' Training Institute, Samchi: The Teachers' Training Institute at Samchi started functioning in the year 1968 with 40 trainees and seven teachers including Principal. This institute will be providing teachers for schools in Bhutan. Presently all the teachers in the schools in Bhutan are recruited from outside.
8.1.12.8 Rigney Monastery School: This school was started in the First Five Year Plan to provide Monastic (religious) education to the boys which would help in preserving the cultural heritage of the country. The school also provides Bhutanese Language Teachers to teach Bhutanese language to the students in other schools in the country. During the Second Plan, stipends for 150 students were provided. To expand this scheme, a provision of 200 stipends ‑ Rs. 100/‑ per month for nine months has been made.
8. 1 . 12.9 Technical Schools: Keeping in view various development activities in the country one Technical School at Kharbandi was started during the First Five Year Plan, the main object being the availability of technical personnel within the country. This school started with about 50 students and had about 160 at the end of the Second Five Year Plan. In this school carpentry, tailoring, mechanics and automobile section have been functioning. The number of students to be admitted in this school is aimed at 250 by the end of Third Plan. One more technical school will be established in eastern region at Deothang during the Third Plan.
8.1.12.10 Translation and Printing of Books in Bhutanese: Before the commencement of the First Plan, no book was available in the national language Dzongkha. As such, writing and translation of books in national language was undertaken by the Department of Education. This work will continue during Third Plan period.
8.1.12.11 Degree Scholarship for Students in India: Under this scheme, Bhutanese students are sent for higher education in colleges in India. With the establishment of one Degree College in the country, the number of students going in for higher studies in India is expected to be reduced and confined only to specialised courses. Thus in the first three years of the Plan provision for 40 stipends per annum has been made. These students would continue their studies for three years. There may be no fresh admission in the fourth and fifth year of the Plan as the Degree College may be in a position to admit arts and science students.
8.1.12.12 Scholarships for Studies in India: Under this scheme, Bhutanese students are awarded scholarships to study upto Matriculation/I. S. C. Examination in India. At the end of the Second Plan, about 400 students were studying in India. With the strengthening of the existing high schools, public schools and upgrading of a number of junior high schools in the Third Plan, it may not be necessary to award fresh scholarships for studies upto T.S.C./Matriculation in India. But the students who are already studying in India would continue their studies during the Third Plan and the scheme will have to be continued for the present.
8.1.12.13 School for Buddhist Studies: A new Scheme for opening a school for Buddhist studies at Dechenphodrang has been included in the Third Plan.
8.2.1 Prior to 1961 the medical facilities within the country were very limited. There were four hospitals with inadequate facilities, 11 dispensaries and a Leprosy Colony with 120 patient beds. Most of these facilities were functioning under untrained staff. There were in all two doctors in the country. Lack of qualified staff at all levels, very limited transport and communication facilities and shortage of proper accommodation were some of the major initial problems in creating necessary and adequate medical facilities for the country's population. During the First Plan, therefore, the following steps were taken:
8.2.2 For the convenience of medical planning the country is divided into seven medical zones with zonal headquarters at Thimphu, Paro, Samchi, Phuntsholing, Sarbhang, Byakar and Tashigang. The present patients bed strength in the existing zonal hospitals is 166 and the hospitals are much better equipped. In the rural areas, 34 dispensaries have been established so far. Names of places where dispensaries have been set up are shown in Annexure‑IX. Considerable progress was also made in the control and eradication of diseases. Iodised salt was supplied and as a result thereof incidence of goitre is very much reduced. Mass vaccination and malaria eradication programmes were also launched. With only two doctors and a few compounders in 1961 the number of medical personnel increased to 123 by the end of Second Five Year Plan. There are now 16 doctors, 53 compounders, 34 nurses and 20 vaccinators.
8.2.3 The Third Five Year Plan envisages the following programmes:
8.2.4 A total outlay of Rs. 286 lakh has been envisaged in the Plan. The allocation of this outlay by schemes is shown in Annexure‑X to this chapter.
8.3 Water Supply and Sanitation
8.3.1 Water supply facilities exist in 12 towns at present. The Third Plan envisages improvement in the existing facilities and eight more towns will be covered. A plan outlay of Rs. 50 lakh has been envisaged as per the scheme wise details given below:
| Scheme | Plan Outlay (Rs. in lakhs) |
|---|---|
| 1. Existing Schemes and their augmentation | 25.00 |
| 2. New Schemes | 18.00 |
| 3. Sewerage and drainage | 9.00 |
| 4. Maintenance | 6.00 |
| 5. Preparation of Master Plan for Water Supply in Bhutan | 1.00 |
| Total: | 59.00 |
8.4 Urban Development
8.4.1 An outlay of Rs. 20 lakh has been provided for creating amenities like parking places, public gardens etc. in some of the major towns of the country except Thimphu, the Capital town which has been treated on a separate footing.
| Name of Scheme | Plan Outlay Rs. in lakhs) |
|
|---|---|---|
| I. Direction | 22.25 | |
| II. | 1. Primary Schools | 82.00 |
| 2. Junior High Schools | 66.00 | |
| 3. Central Schools | 180.00 | |
| 4. Thimphu Degree College | 73.00 | |
| 5. Thimphu Public School | 43.75 | |
| 6. Kanglung Public School | 33.00 | |
| 7. Teachers' Training Institute, Samchi | 15.50 | |
| 8. Rigney Monastery School | 11.50 | |
| 9. Translation & Printing of Books in Bhutanese | 3.00 | |
| 10. Degree Scholarships for students in India | 16.60 | |
| 11. Scholarships for studies in India | 82.00 | |
| 12. School for Buddhist studies | 4.90 | |
| III. | 1. Technical School,Kharbandi | 49.00 |
| 2. Technical School, Deothang | 38.00 | Total: | 720.50 |
| 1. Byakar | 18. Khaling |
| 2. Chengmari | 19. Lamthey |
| 3. Chimakothi | 20. Lunana |
| 4. Chirang | 21. Lhuntse |
| 5. Daga | 22. Mongar |
| 6. Dagapela | 23. Paro |
| 7. Dalim | 24. Pepachu |
| 8. Dorakha | 25. Samdrup Jongkhar |
| 9. Dechheling | 26. Sibsoo |
| 10. Dechhencholing | 27. Shinkharlauri |
| 11. Dogar | 28. Shemgang |
| 12. Dungsam | 29. Surey |
| 13. Gasa | 30. Tala |
| 14. Ghumaoney | 31. Tomigangsa |
| 15. Gomdar | 32. Tongsa |
| 16. Ha | 33. Urang |
| 17. Kalikhola | 34. Yangtse |
| Name of Scheme | Plan Outlay (Rs. in lakhs) |
|
|---|---|---|
| 1. Direction | 10.25 | |
| 2. M. S. D. Phuntsholing | 1.54 | |
| 3. Hospitals | ||
| (a) Thimphu Hospital | 46.00 | |
| (b) Tashigang Hospital | 33.34 | |
| (c) Samchi Hospital | 20.31 | |
| (d) Sarbhang Hospital | 15.00 | |
| (e) Phuntsholing Hospital | 12.62 | |
| (f) Civil Annexure to B. R. Hospital, Deothang | 0.75 | |
| (g) Leprosy Hospital, Gidakom | 4.55 | |
| (h) Leprosy Hospital, Kurteo | 2.60 | |
| (i) Leprosy Hospital, Mongar | 5.95 | |
| (j) Leprosy Hospital, Parkijuli | 1.25 | |
| 4. Dispensaries | ||
| (a) Improvement of existing dispensaries | 50.83 | |
| (b) Establishment of new dispensaries | 14.78 | |
| 5. Preventive/control measures | 58.43 | |
| 6. Training Programmes | 2.80 | |
| 7. Establishment of indigenous dispensary | 3.00 | |
| 8. Treatment of Bhutanese outside Bhutan | 2.00 | |
| Total: | 286.00 | |