The Department of Education of the Central Tibetan Administration conducted SEE Learning Awareness Workshops for around 180 Tibetan educators and around 220 parents in Nepal from 25 August to 5 September 2022.
On request from the Snow Lion Foundation (SLF), the department directed Additional Secretary Tenzin Pema and Office Assistant Karma Dekyi of the Department of Education to facilitate the SEE learning awareness programme for Tibetan schools in Nepal.
In Pokhara.
Three 2-day SEE learning awareness workshops were held in Kathmandu Valley, for school heads and teachers at Namgyal High Secondary School (NHSS), Songtsen Bhrikuti Boarding High School (SBBHS), and Namgyal Middle Boarding School (NMBS) respectively, where the headmaster and teachers of Atisha School also participated along with the Namgyal Middle School. One 2-day workshop was conducted in Pokhara valley, for the school heads and teachers of Lekshed Tsal School, Mt. Kailash School, Manjushree Primary School, SOS Hermann Gmeiner School and Pema Tsal Monastic School at Pema Tsal guest house. Another three-hour orientation on SEE Learning was given to the teachers of Mansarowar School in Kathmandu valley.
The number of workshop participants at NHSS was 37 (33 from NHSS, 3 from SLF, 1 SARD staff), 60 participants (52 from SBBHS, 7 from SLF, 1 SARD staff) at SBBHS, 53 participants (45 from NMBS, 4 from Atisha School, 2 from SLF, 1 SARD staff) at NMBS, 36 participants (6 from Lekshed Tsal School, 12 from Mt. Kailash, 5 from Manjushree, 2 from SOS, 7 from Pema Tsal, 3 from SLF, 1 SARD staff) in Pokhara valley.
Since parents play an equally vital role in the holistic development of the child, the facilitators gave three separate awareness talks on SEE Learning to around 220 parents at Songtsen School, Atisha School, and Lekshed Tsal School respectively.
During the workshops, the SLF Executive Secretary Tsering Topgyal informed the participants of the importance and necessity of SEE Learning in schools & society in particular, and in today’s world at large, and the SLF Education Officer Tenzin Rabgyal briefed about the programme and its implementation plan. Headmaster Jampa Sangpo of Songtsen School assisted the facilitators in translating the whole workshop procedure into Nepali for Non-Tibetan teachers.
The programme received great support and cooperation from all the school heads, who highly appreciated the initiation of SEE learning in their respective schools. They were optimistic that this training would guide their teaching as well as non-teaching staff to practice ethical values, become role models to young children, and also be a great support in furthering the vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on educating the heart while educating the mind.
The topics facilitated in the workshops included: SEE Learning overview and framework, Loving-kindness and compassion, resilient zone and resiliency skills, interdependence and systems thinking, navigating emotions and handling risky emotions, and the overview of the Basic Education Policy for Tibetans in Exile.
The programme was organised by the Snow Lion Foundation, Nepal, and funded by Les Amis Du Tibet, Luxemburg.
Parents at Songtsen.
At Songtsen School.
Presentations during the workshop.
