Chinese Authorities Fire Tibetan Educator for Teaching Tibetan Language and History
By Tsering Choephel
DHARAMSALA, 22 April: Chinese authorities in Ngaba County in the Traditional Tibetan Province of Amdo have dismissed a Tibetan educator for teaching Tibetan language and History in Meruma Township in the region.
Donyoe, a teacher at the Meruma township’s primary school for the past 15 years, was recently dismissed for teaching Tibetan language and history to his students, the London-based advocacy group’s research partner Tibet Watch reported on 17 April.
According to the report, Donyoe is widely respected by students and parents alike. His forced departure from the school has reportedly disappointed students and their parents as he has made significant contributions to teaching Tibetan language and history to the next generation of Tibetans at the school.
In addition to being fired from the Chinese government-run boarding school, the Chinese authorities have barred Donyoe from obtaining other teaching positions, the report added.
The report stated that the medium of instruction at the school was primarily in Tibetan until 2018 when it changed to Chinese.
In Xi Jinping’s pursuit of his ‘national rejuvenation’ project and the national policy to promote Chinese as the ‘national common language’, Tibetan identity, with its religious institutions and linguistic practices, is highly threatened.
