Saturday, January 4, 2020

Humble thoughts about The National Day Royal Address of 17th December, 2019.

1. A 21st centuary economic roadmap. ( Vision 2020 expires this year ).

2. Preparing for the challenges ahead especially the technological advancements with proper realisations reflected in matters of policies and legislative responses. 

3. The one year mandatory National Service " GyalSuung". 

Let me leave the first two points for another day. Here it is suffice to state that  if Bhutanese leadership is really genuinely heart to heart concerned  and not superficially into appearance forsake then open the national door more wide. Take a real leap into the broader world outside the narrow confines of donor dependant and India only true friend 60 years policy. Bhutan is now sliding backward with the same saturated policy. The future is bleak and no amount of mind conditoning exercises can overcome the challenges facing Bhutan. 

Regardring the 3rd point the National Service " GyalSuung ". 

GyalSunng seems to be an extension of several decades back National Service period for all college graduates. It was a 3 months service for all graduates and later it was 6 months national service after RCSC selection. But GyalSuung seems to be more formalised and targetting the youth at their entry into voting age. The former national service was more to do with introducing rural Bhutan to graduates entering national employment. The GyalSuung is more martial in nature about soldering and essential skill development to enhance livelihood opportunities. And it is mandatory. 

I do not see much irritants with the mandatory nature of GyalSuung. Afterall DeSuung programme is very popular and never short of candidates though not declared mandatory.  The disaster I see is in the enforced one year across the board brake on general essential progress of all youths beginning from 2022 in the field of higher learning. 

I think it is possible for those planning the GyalSuung programme to accomplish the objectives of royal vision without totally disrupting normal flow of life and imperatives of life related progressive advancement like college studies both professional and general degree course. Is it absolutely necessary to cut away one year from life of youths just to implement GyalSuung ? Could the one year programme be bifurcated into two sessions of 6 months each. Six months after class xii ( immediately after Class xii exams and before college academic year begins )  and 6 months after college graduation ( immediately after graduate exams and before RCSC PE ). Such an adjustment could achieve the objectives of Royal vision and not cost the youth one precious year of their study life. GyalSuung experience would be life enhancing naturally but how much more sensibly beneficial  if the price of undergoing the programme can be made less costly to the life of a youth with higher study opportunities. For others, it could be a continuous one year programme. 

We often emphasis on youth education and youths as the future hope of Druk Yul. Yet we declare un-hesitantly one year bann on further studies for all youths from 2022. What if Thimphu Thromde declared a moratorium of one year to water supply so that the whole water supply line system could be over hauled and after one year resume supplies. 

GyalSuung is part of but not at all the whole of overall  progressive life long education. GyalSuung should not be implemented in the nature of national calamity or war like situation where all else are reduced to secondary status. 

Great Visions bear beneficial fruit when sensitivities to other essentialities of life and national progress in varying fields are taken into considerations. Look back to what irreparable damage was caused to the overall national status by the blind fury of birth control and small family goal that was pursued few decades back. At that time, I did state that the royal drive to implmement birth control would ultimately reduce Drukpas to rare zoo species. 

A lone voice of common man cannot change the tide. But still I say GyalSuung is not worth the one year wedge in the path of regular higher studies of all our youths. The sacrifice called for is at national calamity level whilst the benefit is much at abstract level. 
 






 

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