Mundgod: The Tibetan language and dialectic workshops for the teachers and students of Sambhota and Selakui schools at Drepung Loseling monastery were successfully concluded on 18 January 2023. The week-long workshops are organised jointly by the Department of Education and Drepung Loseling monastery .

The workshops’ closing ceremony was attended by chief guest Khen Rinpoche Lobsang Samten, Abbot of Drepung Losel Ling Monastery, along with the monastery’s treasurer Geshe Tenzin Nyendak, tutors for the workshop: Geshe Lungtok Sherab and Beri Palden Namgyal, and the dialectic instructors from three participating schools.

Ngodup Tenpa, head of the Education Department’s traditional section, presented a briefing on the workshops according to which, the Tibetan language workshop for TGT social science teachers was participated by 21 teachers, while the workshop for primary teachers was participated by 18 teachers. Similarly, 42 students participated in the dialectic workshop for student mentors. As part of the workshop session, the participants visited monasteries in the regions and made an education tour to Goa.

In his address, the monastery’s treasurer Geshe Tenzin Nyendak lauded the teachers and students for participating in the workshops, adding, “teaching dialectic for enhancing investigating and reasoning capacities of Tibetan students is His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s vision”. He further called for persistent efforts from students in studying the distinct Tibetan dialectic education. Given the essentiality of instructions in the Tibetan language, he further commended the teachers for their active participation and demonstration of interest during the workshops.

The chief guest of the event, Abbot Khen Rinpoche Lobsang Samten, disclosed uninterrupted collaboration from the monastery in organising workshops of the Central Tibetan Administration and assured their assistance in the future. While applauding the teachers and foster parents at Tibetan schools for their services in the community, Khen Rinpoche recalled his visitations to a few Tibetan schools and stated, “teacher’s provision of education is akin to providing a vision to students”. Additionally, the Abbot of Drepung Loseling monastery underscored the significance of excelling in Tibetan calligraphies, fluent Tibetan language, and understanding the basics of dialectic as a fraction of Tibetan tradition and language preservation drive.

During the ceremony, a representative from each workshop shared their experiences and expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the organisers for the opportunity. The gathering was concluded with a vote of thanks from the editor of the Tibetan school’s Social Science textbook, Passang Tsering.

On 19 January, the participants were addressed by Khenpo Kunchok Palsang.