COUNTRY BACKGROUND - Gross National Happiness Commission

I. Basic SituationI. Basic Situation
A. Structure of the SectorA. Structure of the Sector
CHAPTER 11
EDUCATIONEDUCATION
11.1 Education has been an important part of religious life in Bhutan for centuries and continues to be so today
with approximately 4,000 monks, nuns and lay priests receiving education in religious institutions, supported by
the state, throughout the country. This figure does not include those studying in private monasteries. Monastic
education involves the study of religious rituals as well as other skills, including literacy, numeracy, philosophy,
astrology, literature, arts and in some cases traditional medicine.
11.2 Formal western education was started only in the 1950s. Bhutan has achieved considerable success in
expanding the provision of formal education: school enrolment grew from 1,500 pupils in 59 schools in 1959 to an
enrolment of over 70,000 in 195 institutions in 1990. The gross primary enrolment ratio was estimated at 66.9% in
1990, based on an estimated population of 104,000 children between the ages 6 and 12. Despite these impressive
results the Royal Government is committed to further improvements in the provision of education and following
the Jomtein Conference, Bhutan has pronounced its determination to achieve access to primary education by the
year 2000. While formal education of children has been expanding, the illiteracy rate amongst the adult population
remains high. The Royal Government is thus also committed to increasing the basic education of the adult
population, to enable the increased participation of the whole population in the development process.
11.3 The formal education system consists of one year pre-primary, six years primary, four years secondary, two
years senior secondary and three years degree programme.
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