Abstract
School education in Bhutan started in 1914 with the introduction of first modern school in Haa by Gongzin Ugyen Dorji on the command of Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck, the first king of Bhutan. It was primarily driven by the need to develop the national human resource capacity and drive the economic development efforts in the country. Though it started in 1914, the system is relatively young because the systematic development of modern school education started only in 1961 with the introduction of the First Five Year Development Plan. Despite the late start, school education in Bhutan has witnessed unprecedented growth and progress within a period of over six decades.
The provision of high standard and quality education that is contextually relevant and meaningful to prepare students with the twenty-first-century skills of creativity, innovation, and intellect is accorded a high priority at both the national and the institutional level. However, the challenges confronting the Bhutanese school education system are equally daunting and herculean. Constraints include inadequate infrastructure facilities and financial resources to support high standards of teaching and learning.
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Gyeltshen, K., Zangmo, S. (2021). School Education in Bhutan. In: Sarangapani, P.M., Pappu, R. (eds) Handbook of Education Systems in South Asia. Global Education Systems. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0032-9_12
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