Article: Tashidinghka VS. Druk School

There were several differences I noticed between the two schools we’ve visited so far. There were the obvious differences like the difference in social classes and the quality of life, however when we interviewed both schools, the students of Tashidinghka decided that they liked having a school uniform where the students of Druk decided that they wanted to be able to wear whatever they wanted. The aspect of preserving culture can be observed by this result. In Tashidinghka, during morning ceremonies, there would be a morning prayer. Three times throughout the day, there would be a whistle blown that signified everyone to silently reflect or pray for about a minute. There was an hour prayer session that took place every day after school. Prayer was said before every meal. Druk, on the other hand, was a less strict place. The only prayer session that I viewed was when we were leaving. There was a 10 minute prayer session that took place, and that was all. Even when we were having lunch, the hallways were busy and no one seemed to be bowing their heads in prayer. Tashidinghka was also more removed from any major cities, as the drive from Thimpu was about an hour on an unpaved road. In Tashidinghka, a student would have to report about news once or twice every day. That made me realize any westernized ideas being spread to a rural place such as Tashidinghka would have to arrive via word of mouth from a kid that was already born into believing in the preservation of culture. There’s no doubt saying that Tashidinghka was a harsh school. Not only would a teacher berate a student if they did something wrong, but they could also hit them with a metal rod if they were acting out of line. Because the kids are brought up in such a strict environment, they aren’t given the freedom to make their own opinion on whether or not westernization is a good idea or not. Since they start school they’re taught to conduct themselves in an orderly fashion in accordance with their spiritual beliefs. Kids that go to Druk are brought up in a more loose-fitting environment where spiritual beliefs aren’t as heavily enforced. Students are presented with the pros and cons of westernization with an unbiased view and can choose for themselves if they agree with the idea or not. In my opinion, the pros of westernization heavily outweigh the cons due to the technological advancements and the ability to openly express yourself.