China accused of using schools to erase Tibetan identity

Dharamshala: China has opened a new state-run boarding school in Chone, eastern Tibet, for students in grades 4 to 6, touting it as a sign of development and educational progress.

Visuals shared on the social media platform WeChat by Chinese authorities on August 24 show gleaming classrooms, dormitories, and sports facilities. But behind the polished facade, rights groups and exile communities are sounding the alarm over what they call a disturbing trend of forced cultural assimilation, as reported by Phayul.

According to a recent report by the Tibet Action Institute (TAI), these institutions are part of a broader campaign by Beijing to undermine Tibetan identity by separating children from their families and immersing them in a Mandarin-dominated environment.

Titled “When They Came to Take Our Children”, the July 2025 report details how children as young as four are being subjected to emotional and cultural isolation. As reported by Phayul, TAI accuses China of using education as a tool to sever ties between young Tibetans and their heritage. The school targets children aged 9 to 12, a crucial stage in identity formation.

Experts warn that boarding life deprives children of daily contact with their parents, grandparents, and local community. This separation diasrupts the natural transmission of the Tibetan language, religion, and cultural values. Students reportedly begin to feel ashamed of their background and are discouraged from speaking Tibetan, even at home, as cited by Phayul. (ANI)

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