China shuts down highly reputed Tibetan private school signalling intensification of its forced cultural assimilation policy

The Chinese government has shut down Gangjong Sherig Norbu Lobling, also known as Jigme Gyaltsen Nationalities Vocational School, a highly reputed and celebrated Tibetan private school with a history spanning three decades located in Golok (Ch: Guoluo) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The forced closure of this highly renowned school signals the intensification of the Chinese government’s accelerated and systematic campaign to assimilate Tibetan cultural identity into the dominant Han Chinese majority. 

On 12 July,  four days after the school held its 27th graduation ceremony, its founder and principal, Jigme Gyaltsen, announced the school’s closure following government directives. Within two days of the announcement, a hurried closing ceremony was held with numerous government officials present at the ceremony to observe the closure. On 14 July, images and videos on social media showed students and teachers shedding tears and looking distressed. 

In a statement posted on WeChat by Jigme Gyaltsen on 14 July, he wrote,

“The closure of the Jigme Gyaltsen Nationalities Vocational School was not a result of arbitrary actions or external pressures exerted by individuals or organisations. Rather, it was carried out in accordance with the standards set by the central government’s vocational school framework and in accordance with the directives issued by the Qinghai Provincial Party Committee. The high school students are now eligible to enrol in the government-run Golok school, while the names of the middle school students are registered there. The faculty and staff members can also continue their employment at the government-run Golok school as per their contracts.”

As of 19 July, all content from Jigme Gyaltsen’s WeChat has been removed and deleted.

A letter posted by a teacher on the school’s WeChat account read, “Over the past two days, we have received countless calls and messages expressing sadness and concern and seeking answers about the school’s future. The teachers and staff were deeply impacted by the news of the closure and found themselves unable to sleep. The announcement by Jigme Gyaltsen of the school’s closure on 12 July has caused much emotional distress among students and teachers. Everywhere I looked, I saw them in tears. Today, 14 July, we bid our final farewells to all our students. Witnessing their tear-streaked faces and hearing their heart-wrenching cries filled me with unbearable pain. However, we must remember that everything happens due to karma, and unforeseen circumstances are beyond our control.“

Gangjong Sherig Norbu Lobling, founded with official approval by Jigme Gyaltsen, a senior monk and educator at Ragya Monastery in Machen (Ch: Maqen) County in Golok Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, had faced numerous challenges due to alleged non-compliance with the Chinese government’s education policies, which were aimed at assimilating distinct non-Chinese cultures in the People’s Republic of China. Despite these challenges, the school managed to temporarily ease Chinese government pressure for some years by submitting repeated appeals to the higher authorities. 

In one of his speeches to the school on 9 March 2022, Jigme Gyaltsen said,  “Our school has encountered numerous obstacles in recent years, raising concerns among many compassionate individuals in the community. They have shown unwavering support through their thoughts, words, and actions. The relevant authorities have adhered to the central government’s laws, ensuring the healthy development of all aspects of our school. Furthermore, rumours regarding the closure of the school and the dismissal of staff have been effectively addressed and refuted.“

For a while, it appeared that Jigme Gyaltsen had successfully convinced the authorities against the school’s closure as he said in a speech on 28 May 2022, “Over the past two years, a few individual officials have created numerous obstacles for our school due to their stances. However, decisions made by higher authorities have resolved these issues and provided increased support and recognition. From now on, there shall be no barriers to the overall development of the school.” As a result of his steadfast dedication and skilful negotiation with the authorities, the school managed to survive until its closure earlier this month. 

The school closure announcement came one month after President Xi Jinping’s visit to Siling (Ch: Xining) in June, during which he visited the government-run Golok Ethnic Middle School and the Tsongkha Tsechen Dargyeling monastery.

Local Tibetans attribute the primary responsibility for the forced closure of the school to Zhang Xiaojuan, former party secretary of Golok (Ch: Guluo) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Since his appointment in the region in 2021, the crackdown on Tibetan religious and cultural activities has intensified significantly. Golok was once renowned for its private Tibetan cultural schools, drawing students from all over the Tibetan plateau. However, since President Xi Jinping assumed power and with his emphasis on cultural assimilation, the region has been stigmatised as ‘educationally backward,’ so it could be made to conform to the Chinese government’s assimilation policy by mainly targeting private Tibetan schools to compel students to attend government-run boarding schools. In 2021, other Tibetan private schools, such as Sengdruk Taktse, were forcibly closed in Golok (Ch: Guoluo) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. The following year, the Chinese government also ordered the closure of all Tibetan private schools in Sershul (Ch: Shiqu) County, Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Additionally, Shen Chunyao, director of the Legal Affairs Committee of the NPC Standing Committee, declared “unconstitutional” local regulations that require the use and development of the spoken and written language of “ethnic minorities”, further cementing the Chinese party-state’s aggressive attempts to assimilate minority nationalities into a single Chinese national identity.

Gangjong Sherig Norbu Lobling, established by Jigme Gyaltsen on  15 December 1994, with formal approval from the Machen County government and the Golok Prefectural government, is the first all-boys Tibetan private school in Golok. The school uniquely accommodates monastic and lay students over the age of 16 from three Tibetan provinces of Kham, Amdo and Utsang, as well as from Han, Mongolian, and Uyghur backgrounds. The school was renowned for its forward-thinking educational programs, seamlessly integrating traditional Tibetan teachings with contemporary culture. Its curriculum spanned a wide range of subjects, from the fundamental aspects of Tibetan language and poetry to the more complex fields of rhetoric and astrology, alongside foundational courses in logic, Tibetan, English, mathematics, and Mandarin Chinese. Furthermore, it offered seven specialised programs at the higher secondary level, including Tibetan language, English, computer science, engineering, medicine, photography, and physical education courses. Beginning with 86 students, the school has enrolled more than 3500 students over the last three decades, establishing itself as a pillar of educational excellence in the region. 

The school has been acknowledged and honoured with numerous awards by the Machen County government, the Golok Prefecture government, and the Qinghai Provincial government’s education bureau. 

Jigme Gyaltsen was born in 1963 in Hakor Village, Tabo Township, Machen County. In August 1990, he graduated from Beijing’s High-level Tibetan Buddhism College of China. In 1992, while working as a middle school teacher in Golok, he noticed that many rural Tibetan children and youth were illiterate and unable to attend school. He also observed that Tibetan culture and sciences were not fully included in the Chinese state school curriculum. In 1993, he requested permission from the Machen County government to establish a private school, which was approved on 15 August 1994. Despite having only 3,000 yuan, he took out a loan to start the school.

In October 2000, he founded the Snowland Treasure in Ragya Town, Machen County, to market Tibetan nomadic dairy products to fund the school. In 2005, he raised over 260,000 yuan to establish the Gangjong Grassland Girls’ School in Ragya for rural girls, and in 2011, the Hakor Sherig School was started. 

Over the past 30 years, Gyatso has made significant contributions to education and entrepreneurship, earning widespread respect in Tibet. The Chinese government recognised his dedication by electing him to the Ninth and Eleventh People’s Congress of Golok Prefecture and the Tenth and Eleventh People’s Congress of Machen County. He had also received numerous provincial and national awards, bringing pride and honour to the Tibetan community.