As an important carrier of Tibetan cultures and major components of outstanding traditional Tibetan cultures, Tibetan language and script has played an indelible role in promoting the development of Tibetan cultures and the progress of Tibetan society. However, as known to all, Tibet did not possess any schools of modern standards under the feudalist serfdom. Illiteracy rate reached as high as 95 percent. Only a small number of monastic or lay serf owners and their children had access to learning to use Tibetan script, which had limited the learning, using and developing of Tibetan language and script. After the peaceful liberation of Tibet, especially after the democratic reform was implemented and feudalist serfdom abolished, the broad masses of liberated serfs and their children have had the right to learn and use Tibetan language and script, which has changed the fate of Tibetan language and script fundamentally.

Today, with full safeguard of state laws and regulations, the people's governments at all levels have attached great importance to the learning and using of Tibetan language and script, making the learning and using of Tibetan language and script extensively popularized in an unprecedented way. Under the new historical conditions, the inheriting and developing of Tibetan language and script have been carried forward and renovated; the organizations working for Tibetan language and script has been more comprehensively established. Professionals for teaching, researching and translation in Tibetan language have grown increasingly stronger; the rescue, collation and publication of Tibetan historical books have achieved remarkable success; the undertakings of Tibetan translation have progressed rapidly; the standardization of new terms and expressions in Tibetan language and script has yield notable results and Tibetan information process technology gradually improved. In conclusion, learning and using of Tibetan language and script have been spread over all corners of TAR. For example, Tibetan newspaper, periodicals, broadcasting, films and TV programs, multimedia and internet information, books, literary collections, literatures, and art performances all have been well accepted by most of farmers and herders.

Today. Tibetan language and script is used even more widely. People proficient in Tibetan language and script or people engaged in the profession of Tibetan language and script are highly valued. People proficient in both Tibetan and Han Chinese languages are most welcome. As I was born and brought up in Tibet and has been engaged all year long in the teaching of traditional subjects in Tibet, I have a deep understanding about this point. And therefore I would like to elaborate a little bit on the educational situation of Tibetan language and script in colleges, high and primary schools from my personal experiences.

I. The educational situation of Tibetan language and script in colleges, high and primary schools

Tibetan language and script is the most widely used one in the politic, economic and cultural life in Tibet. It is also an important instrument for people of different ethnic groups to communicate each other. Under the correct guidance of the policies for ethnic minorities made by the central committee of the CPC and the Law of Ethnic Regional Autonomy of China, and particularly with the regulations of TAR governing the learning, using and developing of Tibetan language and script and script being properly carried out, Tibetan language and script has been widely used in teachings in colleges, universities, high schools and primary schools. Great progress has been made in the learning, using and developing of Tibetan language and script and script thanks to the effective protection rendered by corresponding laws. In the mean time, a large number of professional talents commanding Tibetan language and script have been educated by a variety of ethnical colleges and schools and fruitful achievements have been made in scientific research on Tibetan language and script. All of these achievements have played a role in economic and social development of Tibet, which could not be substituted.

1. The educational situation of Tibetan language and script in primary schools

In TAR, there are 890 primary schools and 1,568 teaching stations. Among these primary schools, at municipality level, 20 are run by educational departments, 8 by private persons, one by a non-educational department; at county or town level, 109 by educational departments, 2 by private persons; at farming and gazing area level, 749 by educational departments, one by a non-educational department. Among these teaching stations, 81 are run by county and town-level educational departments, 1,485 by non-educational departments, one by private persons. There are a total of 11,033 classes in primary schools, among which 10,887 are run by education departments, 112 by private persons, 24 classes by non-educational departments. The total number of enrollments in all primary schools reached 327,497 students, of which 313,093, accounting for 95.6 percent, are from ethnic minorities. Major courses taught in these primary schools are Tibet language and script, Han Chinese language and characters, and mathematics. For instance, there are 6 sessions of Tibet language course weekly in primary schools in Lhoka Prefecture, totaling 108 class hours in one semester.

With regard to the development of teaching materials, the Compilation and Translation Center of Teaching Materials of TAR has organized a group of core teachers with extensive arrays of teaching experiences and outstanding research achievements and edited and published teaching materials in Tibetan language and script with corresponding teacher's reference books in conformity with local conditions of Tibet. All Tibetan language and script teachers in primary schools have been trained with modern education techniques in secondary technical schools or above. Great attention has been paid by the Education Department of TAR on the training of Tibetan language and script teachers in remote areas and special policies have been adopted to consolidate and strengthen the training of Tibetan language and script Teachers. For instance, the 78 senior high school teachers majoring in Tibetan language and script trained by the Literature College of Tibet University were dispatched in this August to remote areas for teaching purpose in accordance with regulations concerned

2. The educational situation of Tibetan language and script in high schools

In TAR, there are 118 high schools. Among these high schools, at municipality level, 21 schools are run by educational departments, 7 by private persons, one by a non-educational department; at county or town level, 84 by educational departments, 4 by private persons; at farming and gazing area level, one by educational departments. Total enrollment in junior high schools is 120,706 students and those in senior high schools are 33,342 students. There are 142,682 students who are from ethnic minorities accounting for 93 percent of the total enrollment. There are 8 main courses taught in high schools including Tibetan language and literature, Chinese language and literature, and mathematics, English, Politics etc. For instance, there are 5 sessions of Tibet language class weekly in junior high schools in Lhoka prefecture of Tibet, totaling 90 class hours in one semester; 4 sessions of Tibet language class weekly in senior high schools totaling 72 class hours in one semester. On the development of teaching materials, the Compilation and Translation Center of Teaching Materials of TAR has organized a number of Tibetan language and script teachers from junior and senior high schools with extensive arrays of teaching experiences and edited and published 12 volumes for Tibetan language and script course with 2 volumes for each grade. The center also edited and published teacher's reference books as well as review outlines etc.

All Tibetan language and script teachers in high schools have bachelor degree of arts in Tibetan language and script and a few have been awarded master degree. Moreover, all high schools have either released their Tibetan language and script teacher for full time learning or asked them to participate correspondence courses in order to improve their levels of academic credentials.

3. The educational situation of Tibetan language and script in colleges and universities particularly in Tibet University

In TAR, there are 5 colleges and universities, which house a stable source of Tibetan language and script teachers, making it possible to continuously train all types talents proficient in Tibetan language and script required by the society. For instance, in Tibet University, there are 8 colleges (departments) namely college of literature, college of economics and management, college of arts, college of tourism and foreign language studies, college of engineering, college of technology, college of medicine, college of agriculture and animal husbandry and department of fundamental subjects. Except running Tibetan language and literature courses for students majoring in Tibetan language and literature, the University has also offered common Tibetan language and literature courses for non-Tibetan language and literature major students.

According to the rules of the University, students are not issued their graduation and degree certificate if they fail to pass Tibetan language and script proficiency test. Classification teaching methods of public Tibetan course is adopted and the courses are classified into 4 levels depending the capability of each student. To cope with this situation, Tibet University compiled corresponding teaching materials for the courses.

There are 4 departments in the College of Literature of Tibet University, of which the department of Tibetology is a base for cultivating professionals in Tibetan language and script. In the Department of Tibetology, there are several faculty sections in translation, literature, commentaries and writing, and Hetuvidya and Logics respectively, covering such minor as Tibetan language and literature, Tibetan language and literature (as teachers), news in Tibetan language, Tibetan-Chinese translation, secretary and information processing of Tibetan script. Now, there are 1,500 students of Tibetan language and literature major enrolled in the college. In 1998, the Academic Degree Office of State Council approved the establishment of master program in Tibetan language and literature in Tibet University. It is the first of its kind in TAR.

In 1999, the colleague started to enroll new students under the major of Tibetan language and literature. Up to now, the college has enrolled students for total of 8 years, among which 26 students enrolled for 5 years have graduated, for the time being, there are 56 students in its enrollment in the college. The research directions of postgraduate students are study on traditional Tibetan poems, Tibetan language and literature, Tibetan linguistics, history of Tibetan literature, literature introduction, Tibetan-Chinese translation, study on Tibetan religion, Tibetan folk customs, study on The Legend of King Gesar, and ancient Tibetan literature. From 2000 up to now, the college of literature has enrolled new students from Han nationality for 6 years with 500 students, of who over 300 students have graduated. Now it has 209 studying in the campus. In additional the college of literature has also enrolled foreign students for learning Tibetan and over 300 students have graduated. The teaching of Tibetan language and script has been welcome by foreign students and won their praise.

The academic credentials of workforce engaged in teaching of Tibetan language and script are balanced in structure. Their average academic credentials are the highest among all course teachers. Currently, there are 66 teachers for Tibetan language and literature, among which 6 are professors, 9 are associate professors, 41 lecturers and 26 got master degree or above.

With regard to the development of teaching materials, the College of Literature in accordance with its 30 odd specialties has compiled and published a great deal of teaching materials. The recent ones include Literature Introduction, History of Tibetan Literature, Tibetan Comparison Literature, Tibetan Folk Literature, Modern Tibetan Language and Literature, Contemporary Tibetan Language and Script, Ancient Tibetan Literature, Basics of Tibetan Composition, Theory of Traditional Tibetan Poems, Teaching Methods of Tibetan language and Literature in High School, History of Tibetan Folk Customs, Introduction to the Studies of Tibetan Religion, Interpretations on The Seven Essences of Hetuvidyd, Grammar of Tibetan language and script, Linguistics of Tibetan and Han Chinese, Basics of Tibetan language and script, Introduction to Sanskrit, Oral Tibetan. In the mean time, the University has compiled Public Tibetan of 4 volumes and 2 volumes of teaching materials for foreign students. Teaching materials to be published soon are of 10 types including Tibetan-Chinese Translation, Commonly Used Words, Appreciation of Tibetan language and script Masterpiece. On the research of teaching, our Tibetan teachers have published over 70 papers in the national-level academic journals and over 300 papers in provincial-level journals. In July of 2006, the College of Literature successfully sponsored the 5t' National Seminar on Teaching of Tibetan Language and Script in Colleges and Universities and some of teachers in the college submitted their papers on teaching of Tibetan language and script to the conference.

By adopting a variety of teaching methods and utilizing modern network and software technology, the College of Literature has gradually improved its teaching quality. In order to widen the coverage of Tibetan language and literature major, the college established a major called information processing of Tibetan language and script and enrolled undergraduate students for it. In addition, Information Research Center of Tibetan Language and Script was established.

The Department of Tibetology of Literature College has filed an application for the establishment of a national-level quality course - the basics of Tibetan traditional poem and the subject of Tibetan language and literature has been listed as of the key subjects by TAR. On the basis of running well the existing master's program in Tibetan language and literature, Tibet University is actively creating favorable conditions for applying for the establishment of Ph. D program in Tibetan language and literature.

We also noticed that many parents of Tibetan students are longing to see their children succeed in their future life and therefore strongly expecting them to learn Han Chinese and English, which also in fact has brought some pressures on the using and developing of Tibetan language and script. For this, the People's Government of TAR has made considerable efforts in promoting the learning and using of Tibetan language.

II. Bilingual teaching and the role of Tibetan language and script as one of the main courses in teaching practice

As one of the provincial-level autonomous regions of the People's Republic of China, TAR must conscientiously carry on Law of the People's Republic of China on the Standard Spoken and Written Chinese Language, learn and use the commonly used language and script in China while carrying forward the work in accordance of the laws for learning, using and developing of Tibetan language and script. Today, the using and developing of Tibetan language and script have been protected and promoted by the laws. In the mean time, Tibet Autonomous Region has adopted a policy emphasizing simultaneously on teaching Tibetan and Chinese language enabling bilingual teaching system gradually improved.

The gradual improvement of the bilingual teaching system does not mean that Tibetan language and script, as one of the major courses of all types of schools is not important as it used to be. Conscientiously carrying out the spirits put forward in the symposiums held by the central government on the work of Tibet and the Regulations Governing the Learning, Using and Developing of Tibetan Language and Script of Tibet Autonomous Region, the Education Department of Tibet Autonomous Region has been actively conducted it research on the establishment and improvement of the bilingual teaching system, always taken Tibetan language and script as one of the key courses and the basic teaching language of all types of schools and gradually improved course contents and teaching methods with a view to improve the teaching quality of Tibetan language and script. At present, Tibetan language and script is taken as mother language in the farming and pastoral area as well as in some primary schools in cities and towns. While Tibetan language and script and Chinese language are taught simultaneously in these schools, other courses are taught in Tibetan language and script only. As for language teachings in the high schools, emphasis should be laid on the building of the work force of teachers on the basis of proceeding from the facts. While courses are taught in Tibetan language and script, they are also requested to be taught in Chinese language and Tibetan language and script should be maintained in Tibetan schools in the hinterland of China.

Currently, there are total of 102 classes in the high schools all around the region in which courses are taught in Tibetan language and script. In addition, some of the courses in certain high schools are taught in Tibetan language and script. In 1989, Tibet University started to run Tibetan language and script training courses for middle school teachers. Since then, the university has trained 1,438 Tibetan language and script teachers for junior high schools and completed the compilation and modification of 19 types of teaching materials in Tibetan language and script. In recent years, in order to solve the shortage of secretaries and translators at grass-roots level, Tibet University has run 5 classes with 165 students of administration major with bilingual capability, 2 classes with 60 students of translation major at diploma level These students are mainly from Han nationality. Great progress has also been made in the compilation and translation of textbooks in Tibetan language and script by the Compilation and Translation Center of Textbooks of TAR, The translated and edited are 181 textbooks, 122 types of teacher's reference books as well as 16 kinds of teaching programs. The center also edited, translated and approved a Tibetan-Chinese dictionary of technical terms of 8 courses namely politics, physics, mathematics, chemistry, biology, geography, history and sports. Over 120,000 words and expressions are recorded in the dictionary. The center also translated 55 types of popularized extracurricular reading materials for primary school students. In addition, the university has made a great number of teaching software, materials and pictures used for teaching purpose. Being one of the major courses and the primary teaching language for all types of schools, the course contents and teaching methods of Tibetan language and script have been gradually improved and teaching quality of the same improved, enabling Tibetan language and script widely used.

TAR has compiled, translated and published teaching materials for all courses in Tibetan script and corresponding teacher's reference materials ranging from primary schools to senior high schools. Except a few schools in cities and towns where most of students are of Han nationality, most of school students are taught in Tibetan language and script. The work for promoting teaching of natural science for junior middle school students is gradually moving forward. Tibetan language and script is taught in Tibetan high schools run in the hinterland of China and has never been cancelled since establishment. Currently, there are total of 102 classes in the high schools all around the region, in which courses are taught in Tibetan language and script. In addition, some of the courses in certain high schools are taught in Tibetan language and script. In 1989, Tibet University started to run Tibetan language and script training courses for primary school teachers. Since then, the university has trained 1,438 Tibetan language and script teachers for junior high schools and 313 talents engaged in the translation and research of Tibetan language and script. Great progress has been made in the translation and editing of course textbooks. The translated and edited are 181 textbooks of 16 courses ranging from primary schools to senior high schools and 122 types of teacher's reference materials as well as 16 kinds of teaching programmes. Since 1996, Tibet University, on the basis of conducting an all-round check up of textbooks has strengthened its works for compiling teaching materials of conventional courses. According to the statistics, the overwhelming majority of the 19 types of textbooks to be complied under the 3-year plan have been completed, in which 8 types of text books have been printed into books in the university and put into trial in teaching, 3 types of teaching materials have been officially published by Nationality Publishing House of Tibet and the remaining ones are under compilation and printing. In addition, the university has made a great number of teaching software, materials and pictures used for teaching purpose.

Implementing the strategy of building Tibet through science and technology, the Departments in Tibet in charge of education and science and technology have attached great importance to the works of Tibetan language and script teaching and conducted an active search on and improvement of bilingual teaching system and continuously improved the quality of Tibetan language and script. The departments in charge of science and technology have been promoting science and technology knowledge through the means of Tibetan language and script.

At present, there are 4 colleges and universities, one secondary teacher's school, 9 technical secondary schools, 105 high schools (in which there are 9 senior high schools and 96 high schools including junior and senior students), 892 primary schools, 2, 020 teaching stations. The total number of students enrolled in schools amounts to 453,382, among which there are 59 postgraduates, 10,409 undergraduates (4-year study), 6,718 technical secondary school students (including secondary teacher's school), 22, 076 senior middle school students, 92, 060 junior middle school students, 322,060 primary school students. 87.2 percent of school age children are able to start schooling. Workforce engaged in education totaled 27, 708, among which there are 21,538 professional teachers, 16,225 ethnical teachers or 75.33 percent of the total number of professional teachers. The number of professional Tibetan language and script teachers totals 10,927, among which 64 teacher works in colleges and universities, 60 in technical secondary schools, 603 in high schools and 12, 752 in primary schools. Due to the efforts by TAR of running night schools and schools for adults to eliminate illiteracy of adults, the illiteracy rate of adults has been decreased from 85 percent in 1987 to the current below 30 percent.

To sum up, it is very clear that during the past 50 years, especially since TAR was founded, Tibetan language and script, being one of the key components of Tibetan outstanding traditional cultures has been extensively learned, utilized and greatly improved under the effective protection of and the great attention attached to by the central government as well the governments at different levels of TAR. The learning, using and developing of Tibetan language and script are guaranteed by corresponding laws, regulations and measures. The learning, dissemination and extension of Tibetan language and script have played an extremely important role in promoting social and economic progress as well as social stability of Tibet, and in accelerating the prosperity and progress of such undertakings as science, culture and education. Along with social progress and development, new contents that reflect the new requirements of the masses for new life and social development in the new era have been injected into Tibetan language and script, which has broken and changed the closeness, stagnation, and shrinkage of Tibetan language and script. An open development trend geared to the modernization and the world has been formed, which has injected new vitality to the inheritance, development, progress and prosperity of Tibetan language and script. It has been proved by the facts that such words fabricated by those who have ulterior motives as the Chinese government has gradually made Tibetan language and script lose it vitality and Tibetan culture has become extinct are totally groundless.

Changngopa Tseyang, Vice president and professor of Tibet University

Oct. 11, 2006