Early Beginnings & Teacher Training
After completing my Level XII examinations - the ISC-BHSEC - from Kelki High School in March 2001, I decided to dive into the noble (and often chaotic) world of education. I applied to Samtse College of Education, known back then as the National Institute of Education, and by some miracle (and a decent interview), I was selected.
My journey officially began with a ten-day induction programme at Paro College of Education - then called the Teachers’ Training Centre - where we were taught everything from lesson planning to how not to faint in front of a class of energetic children. Soon after, I was shipped off to Bumdelling Primary School in the far-flung hills of Trashiyangtse as an apprentice teacher. I spent six memorable months there in 2001 - part teaching, part learning, and mostly figuring out how to stay warm and avoid stepping on leeches.
From 2002 to 2004, I trained in Samtse to become a full-fledged teacher, majoring in English and Geography. I graduated in December 2004, brimming with idealism and a faint fear of chalk dust. My first official post was at Nganglam High School in February 2005 — and with that, my rollercoaster life in the civil service took off.
Teaching Journey: From Classroom to Leadership
Over the years, I served in three higher secondary schools — Nganglam, Orong, and Gaselo — and finally landed in Jakar as Vice Principal. I began as a greenhorn in the east, stumbled through the midlands, and slowly edged closer to central Bhutan. My next stop? Perhaps the south or west — it all depends on where the Ministry’s dart lands on the map.
I served under six principals — three of them in Orong alone. Some nurtured my growth like a bonsai tree, others... well, let’s just say I was left on autopilot long enough to hear the crickets chirp.
Professional Development & Qualifications
Training was my escape hatch. During six consecutive winters, I enrolled in intensive academic programs at Sherubtse College — where I earned a Post Graduate Certificate in Teaching Information Systems (PGCerTIS) and a Post Graduate Diploma in English (PGDEng). These opened new teaching avenues: Computer Applications (IX-X), Computer Studies (XI-XII), and of course, the ever-demanding senior English classes.
Events, Examinations & Extra Duties
I also channelled my inner sports coordinator by organising the Dzongkhag School Sports Meet and the Regional School Sports Meet in 2015. Yes, the paperwork was terrifying, but the sound of cheering students made it all worthwhile.
On the assessment front, I served five times as Supervising Examiner, twice as Visiting Examiner for Computer Applications, and once as an invigilator — all courtesy of BCSEA. I also camped out in Punakha and Phuntsholing for marking duties (and good momos).
Scouting: Service with a Scarf
As a lifelong Scout, I earned stripes with the Bhutan Scouts Association. I underwent Basic Unit Leaders Training in Pemagatshel, Life Skills ToT in Sarpang, and the Himalayan Woodbadge in Tsirang. Later, I tackled the ALT course in Trashigang. I’ve played roles ranging from humble volunteer to resource person and even braved a chilly jamboree in Japan. You name it — Dzongkhag camps, national conferences, regional escapades — I’ve done it, usually with a neckerchief flapping heroically in the wind.
Special Invitations & International Connections
As an English teacher, I had the honour of participating in a new curriculum workshop at Phuntsholing. Perhaps most memorably, I was invited to a Writers' Retreat by Kunzang Choden herself - at her beautiful Tang manor. There I rubbed shoulders with literary minds from across the globe and quietly tried to avoid sounding like a village schoolteacher (which, to be fair, I was).
National Service & Volunteering
I also answered the call of duty as a Desuup - a Guardian of Peace - through the De-suung Integrated Training Programme. I battled forest fires, joined search and rescue missions, controlled crowds during tshechus, and stood stiffly during the Guard of Honour at national events, all while wondering if my orange uniform clashed with my boots.
In the administrative lane, I completed two leadership trainings, including one on 21st Century Leadership Skills in Thimphu. My path gently shifted from classrooms to corridors of decision-making.
As a UNESCO ASPnet coordinator, I ran a club and attended relevant training. I also volunteered at a Golden Youth Camp in Thimphu, where I realized teenagers have more energy than coffee.
Coordinating Roles & Club Activities
During Bhutan's political awakening, I served as a Presiding Officer under the Election Commission of Bhutan. I led small teams across rugged terrain - on foot, rain or shine - just to make sure democracy arrived on time. From mock elections to parliamentary and local elections, I did it all with ballot boxes strapped to my back like a schoolbag from hell.
Academic Contributions
Academically, I taught English (IX-XII), Geography (IX-X), and Computer Applications (IX-X). I also dabbled with class VII once, which I liken to being tossed into a pit of excitable puppies.
Creatively, I designed three school magazines, two diaries, and one book for a colleague. My aesthetic flair blossomed between power cuts and staff meetings.
Life Outside the Classroom
On the personal side, I discovered soccer and badminton (though not necessarily talent in either), drank enough ara to spark philosophical debates, and made a lifetime’s worth of friends. I started a blog, learned to ride a bike - and promptly crashed it. Twice. One left me with heroic scars, the other left me in bed with a bruised ego.
I had two roommates over the years — Tashi Dorji, who vanished like a subplot in a half-finished novel, and Ugyen Namgyal, who remains my best friend and crisis hotline. My final roommate? My wife, Sonam Lhamo- the one who didn’t leave, didn’t vanish, and still puts up with me.
Closing Reflection
These eleven years in civil service were more than just a job — they were an odyssey. I grew as an educator, as a leader, and as a human being. From marking exam papers to organising jamborees, from dodging leeches in Bumdelling to debates with teenage campers, every experience added a layer to my journey.
I laughed, stumbled, succeeded, failed, and above all, kept moving forward — occasionally on crutches, but always with purpose.