Stories
China Shuts Three Tibetan Schools in Golog, Sparking Assimilation Fears
- •Chinese authorities have shut down at least three privately run Tibetan schools in the Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, depriving hundreds of children of Tibetan-medium education.
- •The closures include the Golog Tadrak Orphan School, the Ra-Gya Jigme Gyaltsen Grassland Girls' School, and the Jasak village school, affecting hundreds of students.
- •Reports indicate the shutdowns are part of a broader government drive to shift Tibetan children into state-run boarding schools where Mandarin Chinese is the primary language.
- •The Central Tibetan Administration condemned the closures as violations of educational and cultural rights, warning they threaten the preservation of Tibetan identity.
- •UN human rights experts previously raised concerns over a boarding-school system affecting one million Tibetan children that they characterize as forced assimilation.
Key Questions Answered
Chinese authorities have closed several privately run Tibetan schools in the Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture as part of a wider government campaign to shift Tibetan children into state-run institutions where Mandarin Chinese is the main language of instruction. This drive has sparked widespread concerns regarding the preservation of the region's language, culture, and assimilation policies.
The Golog Tadrak Orphan School in Tabo Village, Machen County, was established in 2005 through funding from the late Dr. Tawu Lobsang Palden and his wife. Authorities shut down the institution on September 2, 2026, leaving over 300 children who relied on it for shelter and education displaced.
The Jasak village school in Machen County was shut down at the end of August 2026 after local officials ruled it could no longer teach in Tibetan and mandated the use of Mandarin Chinese. Following the closure, its students were transferred to nearby government-run boarding schools.
