Chinese authorities have forcibly detained four Tibetan students, aged 15 to 18, for refusing to attend state-run boarding schools following the recent closure of the Buddhist primary school at Taktsang Lhamo Kirti Monastery in Dzoge County, according to a report by Radio Free Asia. The detentions come as part of the Chinese government’s broader campaign to enforce compulsory education policies and integrate Tibetan students into state-run institutions.
The students have been subjected to what the government terms “political education,” an indoctrination program designed to reinforce loyalty to the state and the Communist Party. This incident is part of a wider initiative that has seen the Chinese government close down Tibetan monastic schools, which have long been centers of cultural and religious learning. The closure of the monastery school on October 1, coinciding with China’s National Day celebrations, marked a significant moment in the suppression of Tibetan educational freedom.
On October 2, authorities forced more than 200 Tibetan students, also aged 15 to 18, to enroll in state-run schools across Dzoge County. This action followed the earlier forced transfer of over 300 younger students, aged 6 to 14, to state-run schools in July. The closure of the Taktsang Lhamo Kirti Monastery School and the forced enrollment of students reflect the Chinese government’s increasing control over Tibetan monastic education.
Currently, Tibetan students are forcibly enrolled in several state-run institutions, including Dzoge County Residential Primary School, Zhakdom Primary School, Lhamo Middle School, and Dzoge County Middle School. The young monks are now being educated using Chinese textbooks and are receiving separate political education sessions focused on Chinese politics and the ideology of “Xi Jinping’s Thought.”
In September, Chinese authorities required Tibetan parents to sign a coercive “School Enrolment Declaration Notice,” as part of China’s Law on the Protection of Minors. This document obligates parents to ensure their children attend school or designate another adult to take over guardianship if they fail to comply.
Taktsang Lhamo Kirti Monastery, originally founded in 1986, had long been a critical institution for educating young monks in Tibetan culture. However, it has faced increasing restrictions over the years, with authorities imposing tighter controls on monastic education since 2008, ultimately leading to the closure of the monastery’s school once again.
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