Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], October 23 (ANI): Chinese authorities have forcibly shut down three private and community-run Tibetan educational institutions in Machen County, Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, raising concerns over the future of Tibetan-language education and cultural preservation in the region, according to a report by Phayul.
Citing a report by research organisation Tibet Watch, Phayul reported that the closures were carried out between late August and early September 2026. The three institutions affected were Gangjong Grassland Girls’ School, Jasag Village Boarding School and Golog Tadra Orphan School, all of which provided education to Tibetan children from local and remote communities.
According to the report, Gangjong Grassland Girls’ School in Ragya was founded in 2005 by educator Jigme Gyaltsen, also known as the Prairie Talent Girls’ School. The institution reportedly educated around 448 primary and middle school students and employed 107 teachers and support staff before authorities shut down its campus in late August.
Jasag Village Boarding School, established in 1995 by local Tibetan herders to serve children from remote nomadic communities, accommodated approximately 300 students and 20 faculty members, Phayul reported.
The school was renamed Ragya Township Second Boarding School in 2008. According to the report, authorities ordered its closure around September 2, citing a lack of required administrative permits. The report further alleged that previous community requests to transition the institution into an officially affiliated state school had been rejected.
The third institution, Golog Tadra Orphan School in Dawu, was established in 2005 by the late Dr. Tawo Lobsang Palden. According to Phayul, the school provided free academic, traditional and vocational education to orphaned and underprivileged children. Its curriculum included science, Tibetan and Chinese languages, traditional Tibetan medicine, thangka painting, astrology and Buddhist philosophy.
The Phayul report stated that all three institutions followed China's mandatory nine-year compulsory education curriculum, including Mandarin Chinese instruction. However, they also placed particular emphasis on Tibetan-language education, cultural traditions and Buddhist ethics.
Citing local sources, the report alleged that the schools' commitment to Tibetan-language instruction was a key factor behind their closure, as authorities increasingly seek to align education with the central government's assimilation policies.
The closures were reportedly accompanied by police supervision and intimidation. According to Phayul, footage briefly circulated on social media showed uniformed police officers occupying student dormitories, while students shared messages expressing grief over the loss of their schools.
The report further stated that Jigme Gyaltsen remains under close state surveillance and is prohibited from leaving the Golog region. Former teachers from other institutions that had previously been dismantled were also reportedly summoned for police questioning and warned against publishing critical or reflective posts on social media platforms, including WeChat.
Phayul linked the latest closures to China's broader ethnic assimilation policies under President Xi Jinping, including the government's emphasis on ethnic unity and the promotion of a unified national identity, known as Zhonghua minzu. The report described the shutdowns as part of an expanding campaign against independent Tibetan educational institutions.
According to the report, the closures follow the shutdown of Sengdruk Taktse school in 2021 and seven additional community learning centres across Darlag, Machen, Gade and Chikdril counties. The campaign reportedly continued with the 2024 closure of the Snowland Cultural Gems Institute, founded by Jigme Gyaltsen, and the closure of Hungkar Dorje Vocational High School in June 2026 following its founder's death in state custody.
Phayul reported that the closure of Gangjong Grassland Girls’ School, Jasag Village Boarding School and Golog Tadra Orphan School further reduces the number of independent institutions providing Tibetan-language education and cultural instruction in the region.
The report raised concerns that the dismantling of such institutions could weaken opportunities for younger generations to preserve their linguistic, cultural and religious heritage. The allegations regarding the circumstances and motivations behind the closures have not been independently verified. (ANI)
China shuts down three Tibetan schools in Golog, citing administrative issues
