𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐍𝐮 𝟏 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

…𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒊𝒎𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒉 𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒍 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔

By Sonam Choki

In the ongoing Fourth Session of the National Assembly, Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay announced on June 21 that the government has allocated Nu 1 billion to support one youth per household in studying abroad. This initiative specifically targets households where no member has previously studied overseas.

The Prime Minister explained that this initiative is part of the Nu 15 billion Economic Stimulus Programme. Its goal is to provide educational opportunities for youth from households that have not previously benefited from overseas study experiences. During the election campaign, the government pledged to assist one youth per eligible household by offering concessionary education loans to cover the first semester’s tuition fees in countries such as Australia, the Middle East, and Canada.

During the National Assembly session, the Member of Parliament (MP) from Wamrong Constituency sought clarification on how the government plans to fulfill this pledge. Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay responded that the support will not be extended to every youth but only to those who meet specific eligibility criteria.
“You will need to have good academic performance as well,” the Prime Minister emphasized. “Even if the interest is very minimal, if the student’s result is not good, with added financial pressure, they will face difficulty in repaying it.” This statement highlights the importance of academic merit in the selection process.

The government is currently finalizing the necessary procedures and systems to facilitate this support, ensuring that financial barriers do not impede educational opportunities. “Having a degree is now very important. It would be nice if they could study in colleges in the country. Even if they cannot study in the country, and their parents are not able to provide fees, we are ready to help. For that, we will not charge any interest or if it is not at all possible, we will charge a minimal interest rate,” added the Prime Minister.

In addressing the concerns of civil servants and public servants who are currently abroad and wish to return to Bhutan, Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay highlighted the establishment of an office named ‘Revive.’ This office is dedicated to formulating policies and creating systems specifically designed to facilitate the reintegration of these individuals into the local workforce. The ‘Revive’ initiative seeks to provide comprehensive support to ensure a smooth transition for returning professionals, enabling them to effectively resume their careers and contribute to the nation’s development. The development of these policies and systems is a proactive step by the government to address the challenges faced by returning civil servants and public servants, ensuring they are well-supported and can reintegrate seamlessly into the domestic job market.