Training
It was not until the 1960s that a modern
school system began to be built in Bhutan; In the past,
teaching was mainly handled by Buddhist monasteries.
Investments have also been made in adult education,
which has contributed to declining illiteracy. At the
beginning of the 1990s, only 20 percent of the
inhabitants could read and write, while the proportion
now exceeds 66 percent.
The children start a first school preparatory year at
the age of six and then go to a first six-year stage.
There is no formal compulsory schooling but the large
majority of children go to the first stage.
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COUNTRYAAH:
Country facts of Bhutan, including geography profile, population statistics, and business data.
Thereafter, another six years follow divided into
three levels. About three out of four children also go
to the higher stages. A fairly large proportion of
children, especially those who attend the upper classes,
have to stay in order to attend school.
The training is largely free of charge. Teaching is
in English from the start of school, but the national
language dzongkha is a compulsory subject for everyone.
Environmental knowledge is an important school
subject. Bhutan holds a special position among poor
developing countries in its environmental awareness (see
Natural Resources, Energy and Environment).
There are about ten colleges with, among other
things, teacher and physician education as well as
courses in business administration, tourism and
technology. The universities sort under the Bhutan Royal
University, which was founded in 2003. For most
university programs, students are referred to study
abroad.
- Searchforpublicschools: Offers schooling information of Bhutan in each level - compulsory, technical and higher education programs.
FACTS - EDUCATION
Proportion of children starting primary
school
79.9 percent (2017)
Number of pupils per teacher in primary
school
35 (2017)
Reading and writing skills
57.0 percent (2012)
Public expenditure on education as a
percentage of GDP
24.0 percent (2017)
Public expenditure on education as a
percentage of the state budget
24.0 percent (2017)
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