Do Not Go the Way It Is

I have heard many people say, 'time has changed'. But Lord Urgen Guru Rimpochhe said that it is not time but the mind of the people that has changed. Looking at incongruous human nature and judging by the growing insatiability of human mind; the strange and alien thoughts creeping human minds, I can without any remorse say that minds of the people have changed. What people say about time is ordinary, plainly put, like one talking in a state of intoxication. What Lord Urgen Rimpochhe said is a result of deep contemplation and introspection. It is remarked after gaining mastery over the events of the past, present and what would happen in future. It is universal. His thought is ahead of others.

At this juncture, if we delve deep into our thought to find out what is not there, virtually it will become impossible. We will see everything before us. Just like farmers reaping fruits after their hard work, the present generations have to just reap, use, consume and satisfy their hunger, or their desire for power. By using creativity, exerting energy, forgoing pleasure, and spending sleepless night, our predecessors have invented and created many amazing things. They have garlanded our world, made our world the feast of our eyes. But, I believe, our predecessors have also invented something defying the law of nature or God's command. Some inventions threaten the very existence of humankind. 

One technique to navigate through and survive in the strangeness of 21st Century is to climb beyond the reach of others in thought. It is now time, matured enough for everyone, to think, perform and prove the possession of extraordinary qualities in oneself. Once, there was a time when teachers used to appreciate and praise students for being highly knowledgeable, well-mannered and value-laden, if they are spotted with their head bowed down, walk decently, and eat less. It wasn't necessary whether s/he responded to the questions asked or participated in activities. When I was 10 years and staying with my cousin sister, a guest praised me by saying that I would succeed in life after observing how I cooked meals, and how I served him without responding a word. But, at present, experience and exposure taught man a different lesson. Now, people do not appreciate silence. They want to hear more through mouth than see through actions. Simply expressing one's knowledge through courtesy is hardly appreciated or rather it is blatantly misunderstood. Personally, I feel that people would appreciate describing face part of a cat but body and tail of dogs that wag when we are asked to describe a cat.

Let us come back to a serious business. How can we possibly reach beyond others in thought? Atom, nuclear, chemical bombs, rocket launching missiles and many mass destructive weapons threaten the existence of our world. Recent shooting down of Malaysian Aircraft MH17 over Pro-Russian Separatists held Ukrainian boarder with Russia and Israel's attack over Gaza are a minute incidence, yet it could cause goose bumps to rise in everybody and could trigger terror of fear over the entire globe. If nuclear warfare occurs, the possibility everybody expects is that our earth would turn into ashes within a fraction of second. Knowing these facts, I feel like scratching every possibility to invent a durable net of a size of our world which would possibly hold all bombs or missiles from falling onto the ground or a rain like droplets which would possibly neutralize any bomb and render ineffective. What a triumph good would be over evils then? Wind blows, we say. By using wind vane, we ascertain the direction of wind. Won't it be possible to invent colour that can be added to wind so that everybody can see and feel wind? It sounds hilarious. But, I feel these are some possibilities to think beyond normal thinking level.

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail" - Ralph Waldo Emerson.  Many present people waste time repeating the works of our predecessors. Many modifications are made out of the old model. Almost new inventions are made using an earlier invention as a reference point. Still, the present inventors do not get the names of inventors like Henry Mill who invented type writer, Hippocrates-father of modern medicines, Wright Brothers who built first airplane, Alexander Graham Bell who invented telephone and Geoffrey Chaucer- the father of modern literature. It is because the present inventors, as I have mentioned, are simply pursuing the footsteps of the earlier inventors. This proves to us that we really need to walk the way other people have not walked and leave the clear trail behind us.

We envy greatness, we fear wars, and we excessively crave for peace. In this world where everything seems illusory, nothing of what we want is fulfilled. Sometimes, I am feeling that I am standing in the world that does not belong to me any longer. I am sure, many of my like-minded friends would agree with me. Well then, shall we draw our inspiration to move forward through road not taken by following Albert Einstein: "Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don't belong." Shall we give wings to our thoughts to fly and roots to come back and reasons to stay?               

"All experience is an arc wherethrough gleams that untraveled world, whose margin fades forever and forever when I move"- Lord Alfred Tennyson. Knowledge abounds. There is no end to learning. End of one thing is beginning of another. While learning, complacency must not have its role. Passionate learners must never succumb to complacency or procrastination. We must steady our journey through the rungs of ladder of knowledge. Reflecting upon the endless nature of knowledge, I find Socrates right when he says 'the one who knows one knows nothing is a wise man'. Like bees leaving the flower after it has sucked the nectar, we must suck the sweet part of knowledge and leave the bitter part behind. Knowledge is power. We must use power of argument, logic and reason to get as much as we can to fortify our existence.    

It is obvious, I talked about change. But, I want to diffuse confusion, if I have created any. I am obviously not talking of the change that would worsen the condition of our present world. Like Wayne W Dyer who has simple expectation, I too expect simple change.  Wayne says "My goal is not to be better than anyone else, but to be better than I used to be". I expect everybody to look for change, a simple one but would enable to incite envy in others which would ultimately change the outlook of the people and the world.  Everybody must have good thoughts. Lord Buddha says, "The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts". We must have peace and happiness. Every individual must try to be an agent of peace and happiness.  We must find reason as to how we can possibly restore peace and happiness in the world. Peace is the foundation of all good things. Peace enables us to rationalize why we exist.

Life in Town versus Village

“East is East, West is West and never shall the two twain meet” - Rudyard Kipling. I am now feeling what I haven't felt before; some alien thought conquering my old state. I cannot tell exactly whether that is sign of ageing or my inability to adapt to new environment. I see life in town and village like east and west. I cannot remember how I adjusted my time and stay at Thimphu in my earlier years. When I visited Thimphu in November 2013 on personal reason, I saw many unusual happenings which are so much in contrast to my present place, and which took me aback beyond expectations. 

Physical beauty and charm, readily available materials, including food and luxury items, potentiality to grow in strength – all those are amazing and something to be welcomed. Everything that is available in other countries has become available in Thimphu. One of my Geography teachers of class VIII, who was an expatriate, used to repeatedly ask us one rhetorical question, 'Ask what is not there in India?' In terms of development, Thimphu has become highly dynamic. Seeing Thimphu developing at a faster pace with everything readily available, I remembered the question of my teacher. We can also, in the same way like my teacher, now tell others to ask what is not available in Thimphu.  I see reasons why people, who are adapted to life at Thimphu, either apply for resignation or express so much reluctance, when propose for transfer away from Thimphu. I get vivid picture now why many teachers who have stayed for more than eighteen years in Thimphu  made big hue and cry when they were asked to move away from Thimphu on transfer few years ago. 

But, frankly speaking, city like Thimphu is not a place for person like me. I found it difficult to adjust my three days stay during my last visit. Comfort was only pitying and peeping at me from a far distance. Because of so many scary factors, it could not dare come and take me in its arms. Let alone having peaceful nap during day, it was disturbed even at night by loud honking by drunk and unethical drivers, singing and shouting by indiscipline youths who visited night clubs, fighting in the bars among schizophrenic drunkards in the adjacent buildings, and a quarrel between next door husband and wife over infidelity in the dead of night. Thought crept out of my mind like disturbance in hell would also not be anything different from things happening around Thimphu. I strongly condemn all actions of unruly mobs. Something, to put few disorderly  publics into the mainstream, has to be initiated ere things goes beyond rectification.  

But how? To instill civic sense in natural ways is undeniably hard. Only way I see, in our hand, to civilize an uncivilized citizen is by enforcing it applying physical force or imposing stringent actions whereby any inmate found causing unusual disturbances to the peace and tranquility of other fellow inmates is put behind bar without explanation. It is, I feel, is against human rights but such measures has become a necessity and must remain in force till situation reaches acceptable norms or turns normal. To me; an ordinary Bhutanese, Bhutanese in blood and thought, ways of Bhutanese and our people gradually reaping fruits of transitional period, can be understood. But Thimphu is a place, our capital city, frequented by many people from around the world to have a glance of the last existing “Shangri-la” or the only “GNH” country of the world. Coming in contact with people lacking civic sense, people residing with barbaric nature, people without sense of courtesy and hospitality, tourists may be shocked and ultimately the message they take back home would shock us.

On account of another reason, I find Thimphu strange. Even to reach one’s friends driving is a big problem. Having ten years of driving experience is no pride through the traffic at Thimphu. One has to wonder from where and how to move. Traffic rules changes often. Number of vehicles and novice drivers are on the rise. These situations are worsened by the fact that our traffic police are not trained to handle new comers with civility and kindness. Our police and the way they enforce rules are totally different – rude, impolite and with air of arrogance. They treat drivers with crude and unfriendly nature. When drivers, new to that place, ask them the direction to some location, they won’t have time to answer, instead ask drivers to surrender documents related to driving for questioning them in the wrong place. By observing traffic police and the way they handle customers, I got the notion that it is nothing wrong with an individual, perhaps, our police are trained to be rough and tough. However, I see the present way of handling situations by our police contrary to the police of other countries. I have heard that police in other countries are a guide to new comers. They help new comers in all possible ways. I do not know whether I would be able to feel the change in the way police treat drivers in my lifetime, yet for the smooth traffic and pleasure driving for drivers, now and in future, I like to wish that our police personnel become polite, know that they are not to pour frustrations over someone, use communication skills and apply human psychology while talking with people. I feel training them on those areas are absolutely necessary. If we take lessons from contemporary movies, more and more people turn violent, villainous, destructive not because they have evil natures ingrained in their blood, but are compelled as they get the wrong and unjust treatment from the people dealing with the law. If they fall victims to law, whom should they turn to, to  redress their grievances. They find themselves standing between the devil and the sea.  

Uncontrolled rise in the cost of commodities, unchecked authority in the hands of proprietors and soaring rent of the apartments, fast moving life living less time for family gathering, and turning extended family into a nuclear family are seen to be other problems in the city life. Tenants pay about Nu. 10,000 (ten thousand) for two rooms, one sitting room, one toilet and one small kitchen. I was shocked to hear that the tenants have to pay one month’s rent in advance when they get into any house. What can I do about it? I can only say that a person like me, having humble salary and living, cannot afford to be in such place expecting fortune. Though parents and children live in the same place, they hardly found time to meet each other owing to their own works. If parents have hard time to meet children or vice versa, I can with assurance, say that one day brother may not at all bother to know where his own sister lives. What will happen to our age old close family bondage then? 

Life away from town has a different tale. Road accessibility is poor. Availability of things is scarce. Still, I see people being satisfied, hospitable, and filled with smiles. People offer things to others and opt self to remain hungry, if the things other needed is limited. Though people will have less to offer, they offer wholeheartedly. Not to help others in need is deemed as sinful act so heinous by many, the consequences of which cannot be imagined.   

    

People feel that every person around the community is bound to them by the chain of some relationship. They have accounts to share, a lengthy one starting from their great ancestors, as to how one is related to the other. Even the person residing at the furthest end is kept close at their heart. At the time of misfortune or death in a family, neighbors gather with the words of condolence, offer of finance and goods needed during the funeral and rituals thereafter. The family of the deceased, at the maximum, burdens only the grief over the loss of their beloved ones.

     

Peace is abundance. One can enjoy peaceful sleep even during broad daylight. Rustic life, in the language of education, is less educated, and less civilized; still the people are so humble. People who cheat others are rare. Theft of property from houses, even when kept opened, is never dreamt. One has no reasons to worry. People are innocent. If one wants to hire an apartment on rent, even if one can afford to pay little more, the owner would humbly and willingly take just little by saying, in their true language, ‘nobody has money plant’. People lack awareness. Civic sense like maintaining appropriate drainage system, use of proper toilets, keeping of animals little away from human settlements will have to be taught. But, that is not a big deal which cannot be achieved. With small effort, in the form of campaign, by the people who are aware of health hazards, can bring revolution.

  

I feel that time is a healer as well as a harbinger of change. Time changes everything. Time may change the ways of life in rural areas in the long run. With time people and their behavior may change. Judging by the present scenario, change, I feel, is imminent. But, when rural people reaches the level of urban societies in thought and behavior, I cannot imagine where and in what state will the people residing within the urban boundary reach. 

Rural lives surpassed urban lives by manifold, in attraction, to me and will remain so till eternity!  

N.B: Of many cities that I have visited, both of our country and outside, I chose to write about Thimphu because dawn of the feelings I have mentioned came to me when I visited Thimphu last year. So many positive developments were also spotted there, but the incidences mentioned above intoxicated my mind badly which makes me difficult to forget.

       

My Deadening Nightmare

Student toppers with examination coordinator

May 15, 2014 - It was the day when our first unit test results were declared. The results were declared by our examination coordinator, Mr. Pema Tshewang, during morning assembly. He read out the overall passed percentages, class-wise failed percentages and the names of the class toppers and their percentages. Hearing the overall pass percentage of 48 and class-wise failed percentage of 52, I got little dizzy. I felt as if I lost my balance. I could not stand still. The worst thing to happen to me and when I almost felt that some hard blow hit my face, that inflicted unbearable pain in my mind,  was when I heard the coordinator reading out the percentages of the class toppers. Among 45 toppers, only one topper from class 9 could manage 82%. Rest of the toppers were in 70s and 60s. That blinded my world; everything in front of me became blur and invisible, so many unwanted thoughts erupted in me, sense of failure engulfed my being and innumerous feelings like how can I possibly make my students successful in life, how will I be able to produce productive citizens and how will I be able to meet my own target of reducing failure rate to 3% by the end of this year when successes like that of the worst foe frowned at me from a distance, confronted me and became apparently unavoidable. I like to remember that day as the day I had my worst nightmare. 

All those provoked me to tell students that 'our results were a disgrace, tragedy and disaster'.  I reminded them about our promises of producing 60% of total students with 60% and above in marks. I reminded that both students and teachers have equal roles to play, and have equal share to bear in attempting to meet our target. I cautioned students that simply teachers' works alone will not be enough to perform  magic in producing good results. I congratulated the position holders, but informed them that their performances were not satisfactory and that they must strive hard, they must continually be diligent and that they will have to lead others towards better academic results.  I may be wrong, but at least for this time, I do not see any option than to blame students for being complacent and indifferent about their results. As per the 'Strategic Plans' prepared by school, I have seen our teachers struggling by engaging students in extra coaches after school hours, giving extra works to poor performers, calling students for extra classes on Sundays and holidays, mentioning in lesson plans and enforcing 21st century teaching-learning skills in classes and checking students' works. I have even seen teachers questioning why and advising some students who are not showing interest in studies to show interest. Despite these facts, the results were just the opposite of what I have expected. It turned out to be quite ironic.

While discussing with some teachers, I came to learn that students usually do not perform well in the beginning and that gradually they show improvement from mid-term examinations. But, this is something hard for me to believe and I guess all non-teachers and parents would feel same like me. If students cannot perform well even when they have so little to study then I doubt that students will perform well when they have heaps of textbooks to read. All in all, I had to persuade a group of teachers to jointly make our students change their outlooks and practices towards studies. As teachers and students of one autonomous school, we must perform differently and show different results irrespective of time. We must,  under the umbrella of 'Autonomous Status', show performances that would earn appreciation  from others.

The results, students' performances and their scores haunted me bitterly, both day and night. Consequently, a thought that some interventions have to be made, in my capacity as principal, before things reaches irredeemable state, was born in my head. So, series of consultative meetings with students and with teachers were held. During one such meeting, a talk about improving students' academic performances cropped up following which the activities to be followed both by teachers and students were drawn:

                1. Subject-wise result analysis to be done to carry out subject improvement exercises with                             immediate effect (teachers).

                2. Call parents of poor performers and provide information and feedback on the   performances of their children (teachers).

                3. Trace out the feeding schools of both good and poor performers so that we can accordingly provide feedback to continue their good works and suggest to adopt new ways in some   subjects. 

                4. Display the photographs of all toppers on the board to encourage and motivate students to perform well (Photographic unit).

                5. Boarder students to rise up as early as 3.30 am (Early Rise Program), provide black tea at 4.00 am, to encourage students to study for better performance next time (suggestion of     students).

                6. Light extension to be granted till 11.00 pm (suggestion of students).

                7. Library and computer rooms to be kept open till 5.30 pm once a week. The number would increase based on the number of enthusiasts (Students' suggestion).

                8. No writing during morning and evening studies. Students will have to engage in reading textbooks. However, they can write during night studies, free hours and while availing extra  time. Students can read library books on Sundays. 

                9. Academic committees among students, with six members each from each class, were formed. Academic committee members to see that students are utilizing their free hours                 productively and that they are utilizing their morning and evening studies in reading texts. 

In addition, all teachers agreed to take care of students in relation to their subjects. They know that they are accountable. The tragic results, if I may repeat, rather than causing damages, brought fresh awakening in our hearts. It implanted, in the truest sense of my word, a strong Ulyssian spirit - 'to seek, to find, to strive, never to yield'. I am optimistic, I will be able to report of wearing a wreath of laurels round our neck because of drastic improvement in our students' results, not long from now.   

      

Discipline and Education

Discipline, to me is as many say, 'the backbone of education’. I feel that it is really true. Discipline enables man easily climb the pinnacle of education. My observation, made both as student, novice and matured teacher, may still be superficial or lopsided, but confirms my assumption that education is for the disciplined persons. No matter how sharp or extraordinary one displays initially, indiscipline one still finds it difficult to complete education. He or she would get restless or would show signs of abnormality and indulge in unexpected behavior, during the course of their studies, that would compel the school authority to take up stringent actions. He or she would be out of school before graduation. Or even if mother luck favors them and wishes them to complete education, that does not come smooth. It would be hard, any way, for majority of indiscipline students to complete formal education.

In 2010, during His visit to Yangtse and subsequently to Baylling HSS, His Majesty said that 'it is dangerous to give education to the wrong persons'. His Majesty's message becomes clear that the indiscipline students can never be trusted and hence become unworthy of education. Indiscipline students, I guess and probability is high, that they may even use education for wrong purposes. Though they pretend to be loyal and patriotic on the surface, it may not be enough to wholly understand their minds' construction from their faces, to confirm that they would be patriots. They are, who knows, when young, may remain like young snakes - less poison and less harmful. But as they grow up, they can become poisonous and dangerous, like Shakespeare said. Everybody, though may not have the intention to keep such person on hold in the darkness, will be compelled by their own behaviors in the due course of time, to nip off the flowers at its buds. 

On the contrary, I have seen students, who are humble completing their formal education with excellent performances. Even if they decide to leave school in the middle, for not having fees to pay, find it difficult to afford basic amenities, or failing to understand the importance of education and hence lack of interest in studies, somebody stops them, make them realize and make them change their minds. Disciplined people are not easily exposed to danger or left to rot. Many come to their aid.

Educated persons are respected. Their presence anywhere in any form is given due importance; people praise their simplicity, people praise their dignified state. No matter how they dress, they still become the subject of praise. Their words if uttered, no matter how ordinary, is still  noted. An educated persons need not necessarily possess bountiful wealthy, be a man of power, and be great orator - they would always be admired.

As students, I feel we have all the opportunity to weigh between good and bad, decide whether being disciplined is good, how education can be best pursued. I see, without exception, the presence of good, mediocre and bad students in any school. With little rethinking, realization and with little turning of direction all bad that are present in schools, has the scope of becoming not just good but the best.

Respect our teachers for they are the source of knowledge, respect parents for they are the source of life, respect friendship for they are the source of happiness, and respect nature for they are the source of beauty. Be a man filled with values and etiquette rather than being a man filled with fire of arrogance. Live a simple life. But not that simple enough to the extent that you even forget to have high feelings at heart to serve the King, Country and People. As students, prepare to make certain sacrifices and observe strict discipline. If you live by these ideals, no matter whether you are aware or not, I tell you, you deserve respect from others. You deserve education. I must say, you then possess two perfect eyes - discipline and education.  

Happiness - Beyond Words Can Express

As student, I used to secure position, I used to be praised by my beloved teachers, I received best students’ award of the year – but I do not remember having celebrated a moment. In my present position, I saw my schools faring well, students performing excellently, and school being rated and placed at par with many best schools by officials of different ranks and positions. I felt happy but proved fleeting and short-lived. 

But the recent award of autonomy to our school created inexplicable and indestructible corner comprised of pride and happiness in my heart. It is truly distinct. I feel no influx of destructible forces, howsoever powerful it may be, now or in the future, would destroy its boundary to displace happiness. Autonomy is granted, I have learnt, not without reasons but based on trust and confidence upon schools by ministry of education. The Hon’ble Secretary praised my school by saying that Baylling has the potential to become the best school in the region. Baylling is, she added, by the present standard, far better than many good schools of our neighboring countries. I am highly motivated.

With the signing of Delivery and Performance Agreement (DPA) on 21^st February 2014 coinciding with His Majesty’s Birthday Celebration, our school has entered into history as one first school to receive autonomous status. To me, autonomy means to stand on our own feet and prepare to serve our nation in our best possible ways. ‘Autonomy is shouldering additional responsibilities with accountability’, I share this with my colleagues.  This does not in any sense means to inform that we have to work at the cost of peaceful sleep and sumptuous meal. It is in Shiv Khera’s words simply means ‘doing same things in different ways’.

On so many auspicious occasions, we talk about values like team spirit, honesty and Integrity, hard work, dignity of labour, patriotism and loyalty, love for culture, custom, etiquette and spiritual values, ownership and responsibility, punctuality and conduct, and attitude. However, I cannot ascertain whether we had amply used all those in a holistic manner while executing our duties. But with the autonomy, I feel, an opportunity to use all those has knocked our doors. On personal note, I have always wanted to explore something new to make our school moving ever since I joined this school in 2009. With autonomy, I am feeling my wish to lead my school forward has drawn close.

First 19 Principals who received autonomous with Prime Minister 

By our unanimous decision to sign DPA, I feel, we have already given our pledges to live by those ideals, values and incorporate it in our daily chores. We have never failed in our mission to explore any new venture in the past. With determination, will-power and conviction, I am optimistic that nothing would ever fail in Baylling HSS. With our renewed dedication and vigor, let us promise improvement of students’ performance and school’s position. Let us usher and embrace new era for Baylling HSS.