Local Leaders in Tsirang in the recent dzongkhag tshogdu proposed that it is time the government established a college in Tsirang.

Local leaders say that Tsirang is suitable for establishment of a tertiary education institute in several ways. While it is climatically moderate and the dzongkhag is also centrally located.

Establishment of a college in Tsirang is expected to benefit dzongkhags such as Dagana, Wangdue, Punakha, Sarpang and Zhemgang, local leaders say. Patshaling Gup Chabi Kumar Rai said that the government should not only look at one dzongkhag’s population but also consider nearby dzongkhags.

He said a lot of students at the moment have go to colleges in India, which is beyond the affordability of farmer parents.  “A college nearby will encourage parents to let their children complete tertiary education,” he said.

Chabi Kumar also added that a college in the dzongkhag would bring other opportunities such an economic development, job opportunities and would open market for farm produce.

The people of Patshaling raised the issue during the gewog tshogde, which was then forwarded to the dzongkhag tshogdu.  The issue was also discussed at the Semjong gewog tshogde.

Semjong Gup Top Nath Acharya said that the education ministry should consider the proposal because it would not just benefit Tsirang alone but the country as a whole.  One additional college in the country will help reduce number of Bhutanese children going to India and other countries for further studies, he said.

“In terms of security, location and population, Tsirang is ideal for a college,” he said.

Sometime in 2015, Damphu Central School also proposed the education ministry to consider upgrading the school as a college.

Principal Dawa Tshering said that after the school started functioning as an autonomous school, a conceptual proposal was made to the ministry that the school has adequate area. “In terms of space and population, Damphu Central School has feasibility to be made a college,” he said.

After the school became Central School in 2016, the conceptual proposal for a college was forgotten.

“In the near future, if the ministry considers establishing a college in Tsirang, Damphu Central School is the ideal choice,” principal Dawa Tshering said.

Nirmala Pokhrel | Tsirang

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