Arya News - Responding to the criticism, the MoESD Minister stated that the primary objective of central schools is to support students from low-income families by offering comprehensive facilities and consistent access to quality education.
THIMPHU – The Opposition Party has raised concerns over what it terms as the government’s disproportionate focus on central schools, calling for equitable treatment and funding for all schools nationwide.
During the recent session of Parliament, MP for Dewathang-Gomdar, Tshering Penjor, criticised the government’s allocation of Nu 14 billion to just 63 central schools, while the remaining 477 non-central schools—where 60 percent of the country’s students are enrolled—received only Nu 5 billion.
“If the government’s focus remains on the 63 central schools, it deprives equity and justice for the 477 non-central schools,” said MP Tshering Penjor. “The budget allocation has to be reversed. The Opposition will continue to push the issue to the government.”
The central school system, launched in 2015, was discontinued after the 2019 National Education Conference, citing various concerns. However, the current government revived the initiative in line with its campaign promises.
In Parliament, MP Tshering Penjor questioned the Minister for Education and Skills Development (MoESD) on what he described as vague and unconvincing justifications for the budgetary imbalance. While acknowledging the past contributions of the central school system, he highlighted that non-central schools—particularly in remote regions—continue to suffer from poor infrastructure and lack of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilities.
“The disparity in resource allocation must be addressed,” the MP said, urging the government to provide clear explanations for the funding gap and to outline concrete steps to ensure fairness in the distribution of education resources.
Responding to the criticism, the MoESD Minister stated that the primary objective of central schools is to support students from low-income families by offering comprehensive facilities and consistent access to quality education from pre-primary to Class XII.
Citing the Bhutan Poverty and Equity Assessment 2024, the Minister noted a decline in the national poverty rate—from 28 percent in 2017 to 11.6 percent in 2022—as a sign of progress. However, Lyonpo also pointed out that 55 percent of Bhutan’s population still resides in rural areas, where 87 percent continue to face income-related challenges.
“To address these disparities, we have developed central schools in dzongkhags as centres of academic excellence,” the Minister said. She added that the intent is to ensure children from poorer backgrounds are not left behind in the national education agenda.
In addition to the Nu 14 billion allocated to central schools, the Ministry has earmarked Nu 5.5 billion for non-central schools across the 20 dzongkhags and four thromdes. This funding, according to the Ministry, is meant to strengthen infrastructure and provide essential facilities.
To further bridge the gap, the Ministry has introduced the “Common Minimum Facilities Standard”—a national framework intended to ensure that all schools, regardless of category, have access to basic infrastructure and services. The initiative aims to create a more equitable learning environment for every student in the country.