Barely 30% of Bhutanese youth were in school. Private schools stepped in were able to enroll close to 60% of secondary students for the past many decades. Today, the country has achieved close to 98% Gross Enrollment Ratio at the middle secondary level (class X) and about 70% at the higher secondary level. So what is the role of private schools? Will private schools have a role any longer? The answer is a very obvious Yes. And the reason is very simple. Quality. Public schools are crowded. Especially in urban centres. Add to that the chronic shortage of teachers and their replacement by contract teachers. It is not surprise that the failure rates has shot up to 30-40% in the BCSE X exam. Discerning parents will have to make a choice. To save money and risk the quality of education their children will receive, or to simply avoid the crowds in public schools and guarantee good quality education for them. Many Bhutanese parents have already sent their children abroad in frustration. For most however, cost is an issue, with the cheapest private schools costing upwards of Nu.500,000 per year not including travel and incidental costs. Bhutanese private schools are the cheapest in the region and the most thoroughly monitored by the government. The other aspect of quality, is wholesome education and extra-curricular activities. Today, we can celebrate that our public school system is almost able to guarantee free education to all Bhutanese citizens, as required by our Constitution. We should understand however, that our constitutionally guaranteed education means very basic education. While all schools do conduct extra-currilar programs, not all students are able to participate. A school with 1000 students and one basketball court is a school where only a few students actually play. The facilities must be proportionate to the school populatione are far from that stage. The only exercise most Bhutanese students receive is their daily walk to school and back. Most schools do not offer regular classes in any Art. Music. Hobbies. Or any other skills. The human brain has unlimited potential. Different children have different potentials and it is important to expose them to different experiences to discover their own talents. Basic education limits them and many students find themselves like fish participating in a climbing race. Private schools can provide all of that. It all depends on parents to understand the situation and make the best choices.
