Qinghai makes teaching Tibetan a priority

From: Xinhua

Fifth-grader Dekyi Yungdrung likes to write in Tibetan, and her mother takes pride in her daughter's creativity.

"She finds beauty in life, and renders the beauty with her writing," her mother Polha said. "I enjoy listening to her read her compositions to me."

Dekyi Yungdrung, 13, attends Wanquan No 3 Elementary School in Nangchen county, part of Qinghai province's Yushu Tibetan autonomous prefecture.

There are 55 pupils in her class. Starting from the first grade, they have had at least one class a day in Tibetan, and they are required to write at least one essay in Tibetan every week.

Sherab Dorje, director of the county education bureau, has traveled extensively across Qinghai, which has many Tibetan communities.

"Until 30 years ago, very few people went to school. Students from poor families couldn't afford an education. They spoke Tibetan, but were not able to write," he said. "Now, everywhere you go, schools have the best infrastructure you can find in Qinghai. It's a remarkable change."

Government investment in educational resources in the province's predominantly Tibetan areas has increased dramatically in recent years, Sherab Dorje said.