By Tendar Tsering

DHARAMSHALA, September 6: In keeping with his promise to give “number one priority to education,” Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay held a two-day meeting with principals of ten Tibetan schools in New Delhi last Saturday and Sunday.

Kelsang Gompo, head of the education section at the New Delhi Bureau of His Holiness the Dalai Lama said that the closed-door meeting was called to seek suggestions from the principals.

"It is a general meeting where our Kalon Tripa is learning more about each school system and seeking suggestions to improve the education system," Kelsang said.

"All the Tibetan higher secondary principals in India were called for the meeting organised by the Department of Education of the Central Tibetan Administration," Gompo added.

Tharlam Dolma, Principal of the Central School for Tibetans, Mungod told exile based Tibetan radio service, Voice of Tibet that the meeting was very constructive but ceded that Kalon Tripa did not disclose any new plans.

"We shared our experiences in detail and the Kalon Tripa told us that such constructive exchange of ideas and experiences will help in further refining our education system," Dolma said.

Future plans to hold similar annual meetings of school heads are already underway.

Principals who attended the meeting included Mrs Tharlam Dolma Changra (CST Mundgod); Mr Kesang T. Bhutia (CST Kalimpong); Mr Tashi Dhondup (CST Darjeeling); Mr. Jampa Tenzin (CST CVP Bylakuppe); Mr Phuntsok Tashi (TCV Goplapur); Mr Duke Tsering (TCV Selakui); Mr Dhondup Tsering (TCV Bylakuppe); Mr Dugyal Tsering (THF Mussoorie); Mr Migmar Tsering (STS Paonta Sahib); and Mr Phuntsok Namgyal, Director TCV Dharamshala.