My thoughts on how to adapt to Rapid Urbanization and the increased stress on water, energy and waste

It is an undeniable truth that the population of the world has crossed seven billion. Every day, many thousands are getting added to it. If, as world bank assessed, 67% of population are going to reside in cities by 2050, cities must really become ‘smart’ and look for ways to tackle rapid urbanization and an increased stress on water, energy and waste. It is high time that everybody puts head together and come up with amicable and long term solutions.

With my head on my pillow, I gave thoughts consecutively for so many nights. Of course what I thought was very ordinary. However, I like to put it below for others to add on it or think and close it:

1.       More Skyscrapers and Underground Houses

With the increase in population, we feel that the size of the land is shrinking. There is no possibility of reclaiming or extending its size. However, to accommodate increasing number of population, some solutions have to be found out. I see one possible solution as having more skyscrapers and underground houses. We do have skyscrapers in cities but not much. We see it clustered in few pockets of cities. I see wisdom in spreading skyscrapers and underground houses across the length and breadth of cities. It can definitely ease accommodation crunch.

2.       Limit Small Personal Vehicles

Vehicles occupy large spaces in cities and towns. One reason for congestion in cities is the presence of large number of vehicles. Vehicles and its emission into the air is the greatest enemy to environment. It pollutes air, affects plants and animals, and renders most useful thing waste. To keep the movement of people alive and going, linking train facilities, public bus services, air and sea services are seen to be the best alternatives to numerous small personal vehicles.   

3.       Introduce system that people can work at home

If feasible, I see it good to make people work at home and submit the progress or report of their works after certain days or a month as specified and agreed between government or cooperatives and employees. Currently, we have residential places for people to reside along with offices for people to work.  Both occupy huge chunk of land.

4.       Establish Offices and Industries in the outskirts of the cities

It is industries that is polluting water, air and making everything scarce inside cities. If it is relocated to the outskirts of the cities, at least resources within the cities can be protected. If offices are set up outside cities, office goers can work outside cities which may drastically ease congestion problems in cities.

5.       Introduce mobile shops

To introduce, we must convince both shopkeepers and customers. Shopkeepers have to be convinced to keep shops closed for three days a week initially. Encourage customers to call shopkeepers so that shopkeepers can deliver the goods customers want at his doorsteps.

For luxury and comfort items, question of choice may come. But for necessities, small household items, I do not see the reason why it should not work.

Congestions, wastes and questions of scarcity arise because of the frequent movement of people from one place to another.

6.       Sharing of resources on equal proportion

Limit occupation of excessive land by an individual. Educate inmates on values like accommodating, leaving doors open for neighbors to share resources, trusting one another, welcoming, having less desire. Instill in inmates the value of cultural tolerance.

7.       Expansion of urbanization

Sunset follows sunrise is same like saying the opposite. Time has come for us to say ‘urban-rural migration’ not just ‘rural-urban migration’. In other words, we can think of expanding the territory of urban areas. Establish government enterprises and businesses in rural areas and make everything available to people at a cheaper rate. Provide all necessities like schools, hospitals etc. Set up industries in villages. Relocate some industries from urban to rural areas which may help urban area get rid of resource constraints, wastes and congestion. Open windows for job opportunities.      

   

Education - The Source of Greater Bliss

Education pulls one up from lower rung to the level of elite society. Education equalizes our positions. Education is impartial, the best judge. It does not, just to equalize positions, pull up destitute and push down elite or vice versa without justifications. The eyes of education do not see differences: differences of age, differences of status, and differences of behavior. Education rewards the deserving and punishes the undeserving. The punishment meted out to the undeserving is manifested in painful physical and mental agonies. Education provides us with additional eyes that enable our vision to penetrate through what we see with our ordinary eyes. It enables us to reach the world of purity where our presence is boundlessly blessed. It transpires us from ordinary to extraordinary, from the illusive world to utopian society, and from chaotic to totally blissful state. It is a torch bearer. It enables everyone to see the world in entirety.

Education, therefore, is inevitable and universal. Rich and powerful cannot bypass education reclining themselves to wealth and authority. Wealth accumulated over thousand years can be exhausted within a day. When Bumthang town was gutted by fire last year, some victims shared their heart-breaking story about how their hard earned wealth, savings their ancestors made over years had turned into ashes or vanished like rainbow, without any trace, within a fraction of seconds. Man of authority today becomes totally stripped off tomorrow. He and his despotic nature are seen making downward movement. By these lessons, it can be understood, even poor and powerless, may have time to emerge out of bondage of ill-treatment. Only wish they need to utter is, ‘Oh God! May I have the boon of education’. Even if it is hard, poor and powerless must struggle to pay through their nose to earn education. In Bhutan, thanks to our benevolent Kings who demonstrated fairness and treated everybody with equality, all subjects are provided equal opportunity and accessibility to free education. While people of other countries have tough time getting basic education, our people get their degrees easily and effortlessly.  We are blessed. If education is with us, we have less reason not to have all others. Education eradicates or lessens our worry and deadening moment of struggle to accumulate wealth. I see no difference in education and wealth.

But, can all people understand and see education in one form? There are some children who wanted to continue, but their domestic conditions or parents’ objection poses indestructible obstacles to realization of their wishes. There are some children who do not want to continue though all conditions favour them. I have had an honour to behold fortunate children as well as the displeasure of sighting unfortunate children.  I had my friend, in fact my classmate and closest one, both in needs and deeds, who had unmatched inclination towards studies. Once he starts reading, he used to complete a novel at one go, no matter how voluminous it was. Next time, he wrote or spoke something, he used to reproduce a phrase or sentence from that novel or materials thereby making his point of view strong. He used to win every debate. I used to appreciate his sharpness in remembering almost everything and synchronizing well with what he had to say. However, I found his father, obstructing and distracting his interest in studies. His father wasn’t from a low profile group, in education as well as in wealth. Still, like one having less educational background or like one pestered by poverty, his father insisted him to discontinue from XII, not to work in farmhouse of course, but to join National Defence Academy (NDA), India. Perhaps, I was wondering, a pair of spectacles worn by him still had some deficiencies which made him see NDA as his son’s only or greatest target.  Though nothing serious, I prefer to leave them anonymous. Now, son, my friend is holding a very respectable post. When I met his parents last summer breaks, they were sharing story of how they had almost created blunder by forcing their son to do something against his taste. They also confessed that they too had ill-feelings against me as they suspected my role behind their son’s adamant nature. Though I could not break my heart open to let them see, I told them through the sincerest of my words that I did not mind as they were very much like my parents. Every summer and winter break, while I was studying, both to and fro, I used to pass by their residence to reach my parents’ dwelling or back to college. They fed me and treated me no less than their son.  I would have forgiven them or would not have remembered anything even if they had slapped me.  

I have heard of someone with case quite contradictory to my friend mentioned above. Despite limited resources he was exposed to, hardship he faced at home, strong resistance from relatives against his wish to send child or children for higher studies, a father with strong determination and will-power moved ahead with his decision to send his children to school ignoring all obstacles. Father, though suffering because of low family income, still ever ready to borrow money, for that matter even by mortgaging house, cattle and land he had, in order to educate his child. He treated sending children to school like making investment from where he could calculate many returns. I am talking about another closest friend of mine from Mongar whose father did everything that I mentioned above leaving his mother and other family members blinking, not knowing what to comment, at his father’s decision. This was the story I have heard from his very mouth. Looking at the supportive nature or willingness of parents to support, I am feeling, had my parents like them and had supported like them, I would never have quitted education. If my parents aspired, I would have waited to complete my PhD or even beyond that. But such supportive parents are rare. What pricks my heart is not because of what I could not accomplish, but when children fail to understand the trust and confidence their parents confide in them.

Logically, I feel all children, irrespective of rich or wealthy, and poor or humble, literate or illiterate ought to avail their right to education. Both the states of wealthy and humble are momentary and impermanent. They change over times. I repeat - wealthy would turn pauper and humble would become rich. In this way, vicious circle of lives moves without breaking its chain.

It is, to certain degree, tolerable to see children from well off family indulging in non-profitable business. I see the possibility of recovering the loss children incurred, by parents using their tactful sense. It is not a big deal that calls for our concern. I only wish that they too study and become educated to use education as alternative to livelihood should their parents’ business collapse, by some accident or by law of impermanence. What is causing disturbance to my eyes is to see children of the humble family whiling away time indulging in activities usually associated with the rich like gambling, partying and drinking, love business, and lavish spending of money their parents have earned as a result of sweat and blood. They need to, no matter how pathetic the conditions of their parents are at home, show and make others feel that they are no behind in wealth by wearing expensive costumes, carrying high quality mobile phone, joining others for high-tech campaigns, and being in the company of children from wealthy and authority proving themselves to be snobs. They forget their parents and their purpose of being in school or in learning institute. I have an instance to share how daughter felt shy and denied to meet her father in front of her friends. It was in 1996 when I was in my 2^nd year degree at Sherubtse College, I saw a man coming towards us. He introduced himself to us by saying that he had come from Shingkhar Lowri to meet his daughter. One of my friends went near girls’ hostel to inform his daughter about her father’s arrival. However, shockingly, his daughter sent a message that she was sick and that she cannot come out to see him. Old man shed his tears and was muttering to himself, ‘doesn’t matter, father being old and poor, she might be feeling shy in presence of her friends’.  I feel now, that cruelty was the worst and solitary of cruelty this world would ever hold in record.         

Keeping abreast the short narrative made above, I must warn here that education is boon if handled in the right manner. It can soften a stubborn mind, it can humble a pride, and it can act as ladder to one’s unlimited success. On the contrary, if it is mishandled, repercussions like hardening and stiffening of soft minds occur.

I feel it is time, children in school realize the pain their parents are undergoing on daily basis at home. I feel it is time children change their viewpoint about parents and work hard to share the heavy workloads their parents are yoked on their shoulder. Parents might not have got opportunity to study; they may be illiterate. But our education can change their lives, alter their living and show light throughout their odyssey. Education can bear multi-roles. It can enlighten; enable us to see for ourselves and show to others, the brighter side of the world. Educated persons means always blissful. One can judge one’s educational stage through this standard. 

                    

Kudos, Ysehi Rabzang, XI Sc A for Winning Spelling Contest!

Student anchor briefing rules to participants

VP presiding a contest

For the first time in the history of Baylling HSS, a new and unique program is inducted. It is the spelling contest, new idea, brought in by Mr. Choki Dorji (VP). I know this program will go a long way in improving the standard of English amongst our students. We all know well, as it is a repeatedly debated issue here, that our students are poor in English when compared with Dzongkha and that we, the bona fide members, need to awake from slumber to construct the building of English at par in height with Dzongkha. We struggle and endeavor to make our students competent in both national and international languages. We do not want our students suffering either under the cruel hands of incompetence of one language or too competent in one language resulting in overshadowing the others.

Mr. Choki Dorji has, in true sense of the word, taken a leading role in pushing our students to the English speaking society by organizing spelling contest on 31^st August 2013. Spelling is the foundation of speaking and writing. Spelling plays a vital role both in speaking as well as writing. Though it cannot be impossible altogether, it can be possible that poor spellers can struck somewhere and find themselves hard gaining popularity as good speakers and writers. Wrong spellings will either result into wrong pronunciation thereby rendering words gravely meaningless or evoke wrong messages to the dismay of the listeners.  

All students, from IX to XII, were given an opportunity to partake in spelling contest. They were divided into two groups: XI and XII – Group A, IX and X – Group B. Mr. Choki Dorji involved knee-deep into the program, sacrificed his leisure for almost a month preparing, selecting best twenty spellers including ten members from each group for the final round.  In the final, through general round, five participants from both groups were screened out leaving five participants from each group to go for the best spelling championship contest. Through another three different rounds viz. Jumble, Rapid Fire and Spelling Championship Round, best spellers for 2013 was decided.  Yeshi Rabzang, Class XI Science A of Group A emerged as undisputed champion followed by Monangmo, IX B from Group B. Both of them were awarded sash as insignia of championship. With congratulatory words, Yeshi Rabzang was awarded winning trophy as well.  

The credit for success of this program solely goes to Mr. Choki Dorji. He had done it at the cost of his pleasure, without causing disturbance to instructional hours or giving pressure to busy teaching faculty. It was his dazzling idea to look for sponsorship of prizes from outside. Program without at least prizes or certificates, through my experience, is felt devoid of interest or is seen charmless, both to participants as well as audiences. I have my heartfelt appreciation to VP, for his wonderful job, which can act as precedence to other members having lot many new ideas. We have so many different ways to teach our students.    

We are truly grateful to Master Shop, Karmala Tshongkhang and Phurpala Tshogkhang for their generous support. Owing to their support, we could organize our program in pomp and end in grandeur.      

PD SBIP on "Why School Culture?"

As part of professional development program, both teaching and supporting staff, making a total of 37 members sat together on 30^th August 2013 in our computer laboratory to understand and learn ‘Why School Culture?’ Everybody knows what culture is. But hardly do we realize the importance of it in relation to our surrounding. The SBIP we had was solely to awaken and remind ourselves of the importance culture plays.

Culture is the shared perceptions of a group’s values, expectations and norms. It reflects the way people give priorities to goals, how they behave in different situations, and how they cope with their world and with one another. People experience their social environment through their culture. Culture is transmitted from generation to generation. (Source – EMSSD, DSE, MoE, Thimphu).

Sl #	Types of school Culture	Qualifications
1	Moving Culture	-          Boosting pupils’ progress and development, -          Working together to respond to changing context, -          Knowing where the school is heading, -          Having the will and skill towards progression and possessing norms of improving school.
2	Cruising Culture	-          Appear to be effective in the more affluent areas, -          Pupil achieve in spite of teaching quality, -           Not preparing pupil for changing world, -          And posses powerful norms that inhibit change.
3	Strolling Culture	-          Neither particularly effective nor ineffective, -          Moving at inadequate rate to cope with pace of change, -          Meandering into future to pupil’s detriment, -          Ill-defined and sometimes conflicting aims inhibit improvement.
4	Struggling Culture	-          Indicates ineffectiveness, -          The staff knows it and spends considerable energy to improve, -          Unproductive ‘thrashing about’, -          Will ultimately succeed because they have the will.
5	Sinking Culture	-          Denotes ineffectiveness, -          norms of isolation, -          Blame and loss of faith powerfully inhibit improvement, -          Staff unable to change, -          Often in deprived areas where they blame parenting or unprepared children and need dramatic action and significant support.

“School culture has been described as being similar to the air we breathe. No one notices it unless it becomes foul”. (Freiberg, 1998).

Characteristics of healthy school cultures as mentioned below were discussed at length and appreciated:

—  Marked by professional collaboration

—  Teachers and administrators share their knowledge and develop plans together to achieve organizational goals

—  Principals work with teachers – they have a shared mission and vision

—  Principals and teachers focus on student learning

—  The school is aligned…goals and objectives are consistent with the mission

Reminder -  If you do not carefully create and maintain the desired school culture, it will create itself. (Source – EMSSD, DSE, MoE, Thimphu).

As an activity, we divided ourselves into six groups and assigned each group with task to list down all positive and toxic culture prevalent in our school. The purpose of it was to demolish (if standing like fort), eradicate and not give shelter to toxic culture in our school system, if there is any.  

Since we conducted this activity after our normal class hours, time constraint as many participants were participating in Continuing Education, presentation of our lists could not be done. However, all mentors (head of departments) agreed to attach their findings to my mail address.  I will in turn compile their findings, make my comments and forward it to all school members through their mail address requesting adherence or to provide feedbacks and send it back to me. In a way, we decided to share these ideas like one having video conferencing.  

Message from Principal for second e-newsletter for 2013 academic session

Celebrating victories imprints permanent mark of joy in our heart. We have witnessed this when we, teaching and supporting staff, managed time, out of our busy schedule, to share and hear views over ‘High Tea’ with the toppers of each class after the declaration of our mid-tem results. We have witnessed how bright, evergreen, jovial the faces of all student toppers looked. They promised further acceleration in studies to excel with greater percentages in their future examinations, in our school or away from our school. If topping class gives that pride and encouragement at heart, and marks of eternal happiness shone on faces, why not we try to achieve success in different areas and wear the wreath of laurels all the times.

I am not talking of irrelevancy and impossibility. We have been living with success formulas, applying it whenever necessary and honoring our eyes with the pleasant sight of students receiving mementos along with certificates of commendation, individually, in groups and school as a whole. We have never missed receiving the ‘Certificates of Commendation’ bearing the gracious signature of our former Education Minister since its introduction in 2009, for firmly standing in the first top ten position in academic and non-academic programmes.

All these are encouragement to both teachers and students. We are elated. We feel proud of our achievements. We get motivation to relentlessly continue to pursue education for excellence. To exceed our previous height and ascend to a convenient position where we can possibly make new discovery is our prudent passion. We will participate, compete and endeavor to produce productive citizens and pull beads of successes like we pull beads after uttering sacred chant. I wish and pray that my Baylling rise high up to the occasion never to fall, present wonderful feast to both eyes and ears that would stimulate amazement and curiosity in others.

    

Rise, Baylling HSS, rise for your fortune, favorable star knocks your door!         

Work of Charity

We eat, drink and sleep. We study, struggle, sacrifice our leisure with our kith and kin at home, being in school for almost nine and half months. We survive, dream for long life, wish for bountiful wealth and unconditional health. We do all these not for any reason but in expectation of good living for ourselves, soliciting to place our parents’ burdens on our shoulder totally relieving them, wishing to serve our nation with dedication, and in making sincere prayer for all sentient beings so that they are liberated from their sufferings. Education, experience, knowledge, wealth and health are must for us to shoulder the work of noble deeds. If one of these is missing in a person, what we do may seem more like an attempt, than real work. If one argues that good work can be done even without the requisites I have mentioned, I challenge them to try out once. I am sure somewhere, something will definitely be missing or something will be short of perfection.

Opportunity to good or charitable works pops up rarely. It is not everyday scene. Given its seclusion, opportunity to charitable works proved rarest or falls only like cascade to Baylling HSS. In five years’ time, I remember Baylling HSS having blessed with just two rare opportunities where we thought universally, rendered wholehearted physical support and satisfied the communities on the way to our destination, to their fullest extent. One was in 2010 where our students helped Trashiyangtse Dzongkhag Administration in transshipping the construction materials from Ranja to Baney Lakhang site where major renovation of that lakhang was in progress. Another rare occasion we have had is today, the 24^th August 2013 where we had gone to reach materials for construction of Chorten and installation of small prayer wheels round Chhugom Goenpa, located about one and forty five minutes walking distance from Baylling.

One thirty six (136) students across all sections from IX to XII, based on their volunteerism had gone up. They were escorted by Mr. Choki  Dorji (VP), Mr. Chimi Dorji (AP), Mr. Pema Tshewang (Scout Master) and self. As students were chosen on volunteerism, no marks of reluctance, no signs of tiredness were spotted on their faces. We sang, shouted, shared jokes and laughed heartily throughout our journey. Scorching heat of sun at the starting point did not deter us from setting our journey. Light rain and little slippery road conditions on the way did bother us, invoked deep feelings that the 30 kgs of cement we were carrying on our back might get wet and hence become unusable. However, miraculously, before we got drenched, rain did stop. We were made to believe that almighty above might have simply blessed us with drizzle so as to pave favourable journey. Reaching our destination, I almost felt like we had just gone for picnic when the caretaker, one who is initiating the development of the site of that lakhnag, served us tea and snacks, and very delicious meals.   

We believe in helping and getting helped, scratching one another’s back, and benefitting one another. To provide our benefit to communities surrounding us and to make them feel our presence, we are conducting activities of different natures. Our current task of visiting Chhugom Goenpa was our small attempt in promotion and preservation of our cultural heritage and artifacts.

I apologize every reader for encouraging volunteers to visit Goenpa in wrong attire - in pants and shirts. I hope everybody would forgive us understanding our intention.                 

 

Chhugom Goempa at the end of our mission

VP and friends on their march

Students waiting for loads

What I Value

Reclined in pensive mood, under the thatched (with leaves on zinc sheet) roof of the cool breezy gazebo near my quarter one afternoon, thousand and one memories of the past, in haste as if like relay race, flashed over me. Memories that transcended me beyond earth presented me boundless mirth, memories that pushed me down to murky hell inflicted me unbearable heat-cold sensation, memories that enabled me to fly like birds stuffed me with hope that I have become light like cotton and that I can touch heaven, memories that bore me unbearable pain like animals with crippled body and without limbs made me feel that my state is accursed , ecstasy from romance made me wish for eternity, heartbreaking situation sprung from loss of beloved one compelled me to pray to God not to let it happen in this life, and many more that enthralled different emotions, zoomed in and out in the lens of my mind. I baited to catch one. Several failed attempts on, ultimately, I caught one which threw my memory like shot put way back, probably 1993, when I was in class X, where one of my beloved teachers asked me ‘What do you value most in life?’

I was then a meek and timid boy. Nervousness surmounted my world. Most consider nervousness as foe without doubt and hesitation. But, I feel uncomfortable. It saved me so many times from situation where I would have to sweat profusely, where I would have been forced to set foot into the wrong territory, from situation where I would have looked awkward. Nervousness sometimes proved blessing in disguise to me, at least to me.  Even if I had the source of answers, my nervousness would have suppressed and blocked my confidence to open my mouth to utter answers. It could also be possible that I did not have concrete answers owing to the fact that my mind was in a bud stage, about to open up to bloom into beautiful flower, which might possibly give pleasure of beauty to close onlookers. If I had not answered then, one got to understand that it was not in anyway, defiance of my teacher’s order. Disobedience never cast its spell on me which made my mind insane to replicate it to my superiors. I respected and I respect teachers, both living and the ones who decided to enter into permanent retreat, never to return again, after accomplishing their missions.

However, like strong surge swells or like milk being boiled on oven, boils within me. It has reached the brink of spillage and no matter how hard I try, preventing it seems impossible. With due and no less respect than what I would have shown when I was student, I mention response to my beloved teacher’s query in the following manner:

My Guiding Star – I call the invisible and indestructible force, God, as my guiding star. I believe, it is undoubtedly, God who is guiding me through every thick and thin. He makes me see beauty through grotesque image, gives happiness through unhappiness, enables me to perceive positive picture warding off all negative forms, and He conjures my body with milk of human kindness and fills my heart with sympathy for sufferings. I am human being. Emotions or four humors like sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic and melancholy, control my body system.

When I am uncontrollably shaken by one or multiple emotions, I sneak into my altar, prostrate regretting my misjudgment, burning anger, seeking forgiveness for sins I have committed or would have committed unintentionally, and seeking mediation in case of deadlock of decisions. I get blessed. I feel it, as blood of calmness runs down my head through artery till the tip of my toes. I feel, I also get coherent picture of direction through which I must tread. We must understand that to make decision, in haste and when one’s mind and body are disturbed and unstable, is dangerous and risky business. This judgmental quality is gift from pious golden hands of God. I never wish to part from my Guiding Star until He bids me to calculate my ultimate move.        

My Country – It is my country that had housed my ancestors. It continues to house me and will house thousands of my progenies in times to come. It gave us shelter and resting place. Unconditional peace and tranquility are showered upon us. We owe simple respect in return. It does not demand but we nurture respect as our sense of gratitude for many offers we enjoyed. The name “Last Shangri-La” associated with my country is apt.

It is heart wrenching and disturbing moment to reflect upon a time when our country went through turbulence, chaos and almost reached anarchical state in 2002-2003. This situation was created by some foreign misfits, whose greed exceeded their possessions, who wanted to dilapidate or tear apart our nation by inciting ideas of divisions or mixed feelings amongst the citizens, who wanted to fight mighty Indian soldiers from our soil. There was a threat that prevalence of foreign outfits in our soil might drag Indian soldiers which meant our land turning into battle ground, drains filling with stream of blood, and some of our people falling target of their mad actions. Our country was then truly in turmoil and in need of real patriots. Hunt began. There was a call of the nation. Few teachers from Zhamgang HS (where I was working then) and I responded to the call by volunteering to safeguard our country even at the cost of our lives. Fortunately or unfortunately, none from teachers was recruited for militia training. I was unhappy and dissatisfied. My true love for my country awakened sanctified feeling of patriotism to place my country above my family, whom I love dearly. My country is above wealth, above friendship and even above my dear family.  Definitely, at the time of prosperity, we have to dance, to the tune of a nation. Similarly, at the time of adversity, we have to mourn.  John F. Kennedy’s words ‘Ask what you can do for your country, do not ask what your country can do for you’ rings clearly in my mind. It has found a lodge as permanent resident within my heart.