Revisiting Childhood Days

Part II – Thank You Your Majesties and the Philosophy of Gross National Happiness

My parents took a bold decision to enroll me in school in 1996. On 10 March 1996, I was taken to the office of Mr. Tshering Phuntsho, the then Headmaster of Ladrong Primary School in Singmabee. I was 8 years old – old enough to be Pre-primary student, but my parents told me that I was sick and kind of paralyzed until 4 years. They told me that I started walking properly at the age of 4 and I consider that my parents enrolled me in school at the age of 4, because my legs were four years old on the ground.

I will highlight my educational history in tabular form:

Duration	School/College/Institute	Level
1996 – 2002	Ladrong Primary School	Primary
2003 – 2006	Tangmachu MSS	Secondary
2007 – 2008	Phuyum HSS (Lhuntse)	Plus Two
Jul 2009 – June 2012	Sherubtse College	BA
Jul 2012 – June 2013	Sherubtse College	BA (H)
Feb 2014 – Dec 2014	Royal Institute of Management	PG Dip

I have spent 19 years with education system, learning to be more productive citizen of the country. But I always ask myself a question – what if education was not free then? As I mentioned in my earlier article, I am from far-flung area where monetary economic activities is very limited. The price of commodities is cheap in villages. Monetary economy? It’s obvious no. Back then barter system was more prominent.

The little thing that I remember about pricing is a ball of cheese cost Nu 2 and an egg cost Nu 1. A sang[1]of butter was Nu 20 (I am not exactly sure of this). A labour charge for a day should also be Nu 20 for I have seen people taking a sang of butter and later paying in labour. Getting hold money was extremely difficult. Back then a one ngultrum note bore a value of US $ 100 note in today’s term. I am just mentioning of the community in which I was brought up. Now in Bhutan, even dogs do not bother to look at one ngultrum note. A big fun! And shopkeepers equate Nu 1 to a chewing gum or a chocolate, as if one can take those stuffs as a change and use at another shop to buy other items.

The Great Fourth
PC: Facebook page of The Great Fourth

When money was scarce and sources of earning money was very difficult, the farsighted leader of our country, The Great Fourth, His Majesty the King Jigme Singye Wangchuck’s philosophy of the Gross National Happiness really help poor sections of the society to get easy access to modern amenities. When the economy of whole world focuses on material development, on other side of the world, there is a leader who values individual well-being and happiness over materialism. When most of the leaders of the world were trying to protect their throne or position, in a tiny Himalayan Kingdom, a country hardly known to outside world, there is a leader who is selfless and compassionate. Citizens are so close to the heart of the Leader. Education and healthcare are provided free of cost to the citizens. And, I am a proud recipient of free education and healthcare facilities.

The Great Fourth and His Majesty the Fifth King of Bhutan
PC: Facebook

If we have to pay for education and healthcare facilities, education could be an unseen and a mere far-fetched dream. Instead of writing this article, I could be holding a plough or spade and working on the farm land. When abled contemporaries of mine proudly rotate on chair in cozy office, or gaze from high with goggles, I could be staring at them, shivering. When abled children could go to school, I could have been herding cows. When abled people could buy car, I could be still grazing horse. When abled people use gas-stoves to cook their food, I could be in the forest, collecting firewood to cook my meal. When able people go to decent hospital for medical check-up, I could be going to local shaman or gomchen[2] for motab/tsitab. [3]

But I was given an opportunity. In fact, all Bhutanese children, even today are provided with free education. One’s capabilities will determine up to which level/grade one will study. No one was given special treatment. All were provided with a black slate and a white chalk in pre-primary. Today I am not left behind. I am not toiling on farmland. Harsh realities have turned to a ghostly dream. Walking to school in villages to boarding school in other parts of the district, from the Peak of Learning (Sherubtse College) to the top management institution in Bhutan (Royal Institute of Management), I received free education. Absolutely free of cost. I was, in fact, all Bhutanese are provided with platform to compete with one another openly. Economic and social status hardly played any role during the competitions.

I was given free healthcare services. Occasionally, I suffered from a major health issues. I did not worry about my medic fee or the cost of medicines. I walked in BHU/Hospital to treat our complications. Had there been no free medical facilities, I would have bid adieu to this world from tender ages. If not dead, I would be experiencing aftermath of sudden sickness of 2007 and an injury of right hand in 2011.

Thank you Your Majesties for free education and healthcare services. I am currently reaping the fruits of farsighted leadership of our kings and the philosophy of Gross National Happiness and its visionary principles. Long live Your Majesties. May Wangchuck dynasty last for eternity in Bhutan. May all be people be blessed under the farsighted, compassionate and selfless leaders of Wangchucks. 

Kardincheyla beyond the sky and the earth.

To be continued...

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[1] Traditional Bhutanese weighing instrument. One sang is equivalent to 333.33 grams.

[2] Laymonk

[3] Religious means of identifying cause of sickness and warding off deities (exorcising).