2008年11月27日星期四

何以就不能在西宁市建立一所藏文小学呢?



有网友在我的博客里转帖了一篇文章——《关于在西宁市建立藏文小学的提议》。早在今年1月,在博客http://laozangmin.tibetcul.com/41737.html上就看到过这份提议,但数月后又看到一个消息,说的是此提议无果。最近又在博客http://dawaduojie.tibetcul.com/52528.html上,再次看到这份提议,以及这份提议之所以无果的“理由”。当然,这个“理由”是当地政府给予的答复。

网友问:政府在全藏地建派出所的同时,为什么就不能同意藏人建一个民办的藏文小学哪?我不想说这是文化灭绝,但事实让你不得不往这里想。

注:这篇提议已经译成英文,请见http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2008/12/proposal-to-establish-tibetan-language.html

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关于在西宁市建立藏文小学的提议

[ 2008-11-25 21:13:00 | By: dawaduojie ]

2008年年首,西宁市藏族居民通过政协委员和人大代表分别提交政协青海省十届一次会议和青海省人大十一届一次会议的《关于在西宁市建立藏文小学的提议》的提案时,至今半年多终于有了回应:在一份“西宁市人民政府办公厅关于在西宁市建立藏族小学的提议的第112、138号提案的复函”中,答复“西宁市现有教育资源严重不足,大班大校问题仍然不能得到彻底解决。目前西宁市的现有教育资源只能解决义务教育阶段的就学问题,加之西宁市居住的藏族人口又较为分散,在西宁市修建藏族学校从师资、经费上无法解决,修建藏族学校的条件目前不成熟,暂时无法实现。”

在附后的一份“提案情况征询意见表”的“进一步的要求”一栏中,这一提议的发起人直言不讳填写了自己的意见,表达了自己对实现这一愿望的坚定信念:“我们一如既往强烈要求顺应民意,在西宁市建立藏文小学”!(博主评点:为政治稳定、和谐社会的可持续发展计,政府理所应当尊重民意,拿出诚心来慎重考虑少数民族的基本文化诉求)

提议原文:

关于在西宁市建立藏文小学的提议

多年来,西宁市的藏人通过各种方式,包括政协提案等渠道,要求政府有关部门积极协调,落实省委关于在西宁市建立藏蒙学校的指示精神,在西宁市设立一所以藏语文为主的义务教育制的藏文小学,但这个愿望一直没有成为现实。最近从媒体获悉;西宁市正在对市区的教育资源进行大规模的整合、调整。而可惜的是,奔走呼喊多年的西宁市藏文小学依然没有被提上议事日程,只好再次通过这样的方式向你们反映,希望能够得到妥善解决,以满足西宁市近二十万之众藏人后代的近四千学龄儿童的受教育权,保证义务教育体现民族公平、语言文字公平的权益。

为此,我们提出如下理由:

1、西宁市的早期藏族教育初始于民国时期,民国二十二年(1933),青海蒙藏上层人士洛桑香趣(田恩雨)、阿福寿倡导设立青海蒙藏文化促进会,并于1934年设立蒙藏小学、蒙藏初级中学,马步芳任会长兼校长,洛桑香趣任促进会理事、副校长,开设藏语言文化课程。桑热嘉措也于1939年来西宁担任其藏语文教员,负责编写教材等,后担任教育厅长等职。这所学校学生最多时达600余人。解放初期的很多藏族和蒙古族干部,包括很多现在在世的老干部,都是这所学校培养的。

2、社会发展为解决藏族教育问题提供了良好的基础,***青海省委早意识到在西宁市开设藏文小学的必要性。***青海省委始终坚持马克思主义语言文字平等原则,保障学习、使用和发展少数民族语言文字的自由,充分考虑西宁地区藏语文教育的重要性、紧迫性,审时度势,高瞻远瞩,于上世纪就作出了在西宁设立民族语学校的决定,提出“省民委、省教委和西宁市人民政府要积极创造条件,共同筹办一所12年一贯制的蒙藏学校”(青发1997[5]号及青办发[1998]26号文件)。但由于种种原因,这一精神尚没有得以落实。在西宁市各界藏族同胞的强烈要求下,西宁市一些教学机构曾经尝试自办学校,或者通过周末培训满足孩子的母语教学需要,但由于机构不顺、资金不足、管理不善和升学体系等多种原因,个个难免夭折的可悲结局。青海藏族研究会也在广大会员的要求下,曾试图以民办教育的方式在西宁市举办一所九年一贯制藏文学校,但不知什么原因,至今没有得到西宁市教育局的允准。

3、西宁市的藏族人口近几年不断剧增,以藏语为第一语言(母语)和主要交际语言的藏族人口不断增多,藏族人口增长和藏族人口子女的母语教育得不到保障的矛盾尤其显得日益突出。西宁市现有藏族人口近二十万人,按青海每万人有中小学生1536人计算,西宁市藏族中小学生应有30720人以上,按其中约60%以藏语为第一语言计,以藏语为母语的儿童在1万人以上。另有离退休驻宁干部、从商等暂住人口、流动人口和农民工约4万人。仅仅藏族儿童数量在1万人以上是保守的数字。因此具有藏族人口相对集中,学龄儿童多的特点。整个西宁地区,除了大通三门峡和湟中群加各一座藏文小学外,多数城市社区和村落没有藏文学校,而且没有一所初级以上藏文学校。但西宁市藏族人口不断增多,临时居民、流动的农牧民人口家庭人口更是猛增。从人口总量看,西宁市的藏族人口远远超过海北藏族自治州和海西蒙古族藏族自治州的藏族人口。大量的藏族居民子女接受母语文化教育的权利一直没有得到保障。同时在青海省会西宁,全省各藏族自治州和所属各县均在西宁建有干休所,但社区内外没有藏文教学条件,民族教育特别是藏语基础教育的缺失成为藏族社会日益突出的问题,也影响着各民族团结共进和谐发展的大好局面。只有在省会西宁地区建立一所义务教育制的藏文小学,才能解决城镇藏族人口基础教育期待与藏文教育缺失之间的尖锐矛盾。

4、西宁市目前完全有能力投资兴建一座藏文小学,满足藏族基础教育需求。改革开放以前甚至在前几年,西宁市乃至全省一直处于经济欠发达的相对落后状态,社会公共投入非常有限,也比较缺少资金和能力解决城市藏族教育的全部问题。随着社会的发展进步,全省全市的社会经济不断得到发展,西宁市对基础教育的投入也不断提高,2005年度教育事业投入达203132万元。但是至今未修建而且似乎没有意向在西宁市开设一座从小学起步的藏文学校,从未没有提上各级政府的议事日程,不能不看作是一件遗憾的事情!从社会经济发展程度和教育单项投入来看,在西宁市全面解决藏族基础教育问题,保证藏族教育权利条件完全成熟,能力完全足够,措施理应到位。

5、藏族基础教育,是提高藏族儿童思维能力、提高整体素质和确保社会和谐的需要。语言是重要的民族标志,体现着一个民族的精神。同时,语言除了普遍原则,也有明显的民族特点,是反映民族文化的主要载体。语言教育权利是人的基本生存权利和发展权利之一。针对以藏语为母语的藏族儿童开设藏语文教学,从理论上说,与提高全民的文化素质、反映社会的文明程度有密切联系,有利于藏族儿童逻辑思维能力的全面发育健全和认知活动能力的有效提高,也有助于更好地学习作为第二语言的汉语以及外语。在任何一个国家,民族语言教育权利问题关系到民族传统、民族文化的继承和延续,任何民族都享有接受本民族语言教育的权利。从我国的整体趋势来看,延边朝鲜族自治州推行“朝鲜语、汉语和外语并重”的民族教育政策,内蒙古提出“母语、汉语和英语一个都不能少”,都为发展民族教育,提高整体素质提供了可贵的经验。然而,除了大通县三门峡镇小学和湟中县群加乡部分村小学开设藏文单课外,西宁市所属各区县至今没有一所符合藏族儿童自身语言和文化习得需要的藏文小学,上万名孩子接受母语教育成为令人人担忧的社会问题。建立面向城市和周遍地区的藏语学校,完善区域内部相对发达地区的母语教育体系,科学地培养和发展孩子的语言思维,全面提高儿童智力水平,通过确保语言和谐,达到增强民族团结、促进社会和谐的目的。

诚恳希望正式答复我们的提议!

http://dawaduojie.tibetcul.com/52528.html

图为远去的历史——旧西宁城北城门门洞里的藏汉两文告示。

9 条评论:

  1. 保护藏语就是保卫藏族文化

    [ 2008-11-26 17:45:00 | By: 恰嘎巴
    http://qiagaba.tibetcul.com/52553.html

    保护藏语就是保卫藏族文化
    ——从社会语言学的角度试析藏语的衰退现象

    语言是民族形成的纽带,一个民族的凝聚的心理倾向性要靠语言来沟通,文化上的共同性也要语言来交流。因而,语言历来被认为是民族的一个重要特征,也是民族认同和民族内聚力的重要因素,从而成为民族识别的一个重要标志。谁都知道,一个民族的语言消亡等于民族本身的消亡。

    藏族是中华民族大家庭中历史悠久,文化浓厚,人口众多的古老民族之一。藏族绚丽多彩的文化,是青藏高原的一朵奇葩,为世人瞩目。作为藏族文化传播载体的语言,同样是中华语言丰富资源的瑰宝。据2000年统计,藏族人口有5416021之多,(这里面不包括与藏族有历史渊源的珞巴族,门巴族,普米族等)主要分布在平均海拔4000余米的“世界屋脊”辽阔的青藏高原之上。西起克什米尔,东至松潘,南及喜玛拉雅山麓,北达祁连山下。以行政区划而论,包括西藏自治区,青海省的海南,海北,黄南,果洛,玉树等藏族自治州和海西蒙古族藏族自治州,甘肃省的甘南藏族自治州和天祝藏族自治县,四川省的阿坝藏族羌族自治州,甘孜藏族自治州和木里藏族自治县,云南省的迪庆藏族自治州。此外,印度,尼泊尔,不丹,锡金等国也有藏族聚居区。

    在全球化逐渐成为主流趋势的当代社会,各民族之间的交往日益广泛和频繁,语言之间的接触更加普遍和密切,接触关系对各种语言造成的影响和引起的变化也越来越突显,成为当今社会重要的语言现象。特别是少数民族的语言面临着严峻的衰退现象。藏语也列在其中,衰变退化,趋于危机。下面从社会语言学的角度一一论述。

    一 语言接触的不同影响

    语言接触是指不同民族,不同社群由于社会生活中的相互接触而引起的语言接触关系。简单地说,语言本身并不会接触,语言的接触通过语言使用者的接触实现。语言接触的结果,必然会出现语言影响,而语言影响必然会导致语言变化(语言结构和语言功能的变化)。“语言接触”是一种行为或事实,接触各语言所产生的影响是“语言影响”,语言接触和语言影响导致语言产生的变化是“语言变化”。

    由语言接触引起的语言变化包括两个内容:即语言结构变化和语言功能变化。

    1 语言结构变化

    语言结构的变化涉及语音,语法,词汇等。一般看来,词汇的变化比较突出,明显,语音次之,语法很难受到影响。对藏语来说也同样如此。语言结构系统本身是并没有优劣之分,任何一种语言都是同社会现实相适应的自足的系统,在没有受到外来经济和文化强烈影响或冲击的情况下,本民族语言能够满足社会交际的需要,并且能够通过自身的调整和发展适应不断的变化。可为了民族自身的经济和文化等的发展,我们总在吸收着外来的先进文化,所以,世界上的任何语言都在处于同其他语言接触之中,由此导致了词汇等语言结构的变化。

    对藏语而言,语言接触引起的结构变化,有正常和非正常两种不同的性质。正常的结构变化是指在同其他语言(汉语)长期接触的过程中,按照自身规律吸收并改造外来的词汇,使之符合本民族语言的特点和规律,同固有词汇融为一体,成为有机的组成部分。这种吸收和更新丰富了语言的表现手段,深化了语言的内涵,增强了语言的表现力,使之适应不断发展的现实需要,在社会交际活动中发挥积极的作用。非正常的结构变化是指由于系统内部融合改造外来成分的能力弱化,外来词汇对本族语言发生严重的侵蚀,使之自身的特点消失,表现力弱化,结构系统趋于衰退。由此可知,正常的结构变化捉进语言健康发展,非正常的结构变化导致语言衰退消解。藏语目前的状况是非正常性,面对先进文化和科学技术的冲击,吸收改造外来词汇的能力减弱,词汇系统日渐异化,固有词汇对本民族的传统文化大小五明之外,语言表现力急剧衰退,直接影响着藏民族的文化发展和社会进步。所以,从其他语言中用正确的方式补充引进有效的表现形式是词汇系统及时更新,不断丰富的重要途径之一,有助于语言内涵逐步深化,词汇系统更加扩展,社会交际功能进一步增强,从而保证语言不断适应随时发展的社会交际的需求是我们面临的最大问题。

    2 语言功能变化

    关于语言功能的变化,语言学家提出的主要有语言兼用(双语或多语并存),语言转用,语言混合等。

    (1)语言兼用

    语言兼用是指一个民族除了使用自己的母语外,还兼用另一个民族的语言。由于经济的发展,社会的进步,交通的改善,不同民族不同地区的人们接触的日益频繁,导致了语言兼用者增多,已成为不可阻挡的潮流。从现在的藏族社会看,由于藏族普遍接受汉语文教育,加上在经济,政治,文化等方面与汉族接触频繁,因而普遍兼用汉语,兼用的地区逐渐扩大,如阿坝藏族羌族自治州的纹川县50年代尚有使用本民族固有语言的藏族村落,现在已完全放弃藏语而使用汉语,青海的惶源等地方也有类似的情况,其形式比较严峻。
    语言兼用也称双语现象,但这两个术语在实际使用上有时会有一些差别,在我国,“双语”主要用于少数民族兼用汉语。近两年,藏区各地实行双语教学,双语政策,对藏区的发展带来了前所未有的变化。从双语的词面意义上,我们可以划分出强势语言和弱势语言两个概念。相接触的两种语言的实力是不均衡的,处于弱势地位的语言必定在强势语言的制约下逐渐衰退。我们不难看出,汉藏双语的实行和教学过程中,藏语明显处于弱势状态。弱势语言在语言接触中所受的制约首先表现在使用功能上,它使语言的正常使用受到干扰,通行范围缩小,使用人口减少,社会功能弱化。当今时代通用语言(汉语普通话)的影响越来越突显,由于势力强弱的不对等,藏语在语言接触的影响下发生着衰退现象。

    从以上的论述中,我们可以从语言学的角度把双语现象分成健康和不健康的两种状态。

    健康的的双语状态:本族语和外来语长期保持并存共用的稳定和谐关系,在社会交际活动中功能互补,分别发挥各自的优势和不可替代的作用。相辅相成,共同担负现代社会的交际职能。对社会的发展,民族的团结有积极的意义。

    不健康的双语状态:本民族和外来语处于矛盾对立关系,在使用上相互干扰抵触,当本族语处于弱势地位时,将受到外来语的制约,通行范围被局限,社会功能被制约,社会威望就被消弱.从目前藏语的实用情况和双语现象分析,汉藏双语处于不健康的双语状态,值得我们关注.因为这种双语状态不像健康的双语状态那样能够长期稳定地保持.从双语人个体来说,大多数人非此即彼,迟早会由双语人变为完全使用外来语的单语人.从族群整体来说,最终倾向是双语现象趋于衰退,本族语彻底被通用语(与普通话)所取代.

    语言作为社会最重要的交际工具,其使用机会的多少直接关系到活力的强弱,通行范围越广,使用领域越多,社会功能越大,生命力也就越大。在正常的双语社会中,本族语和通用语(汉语普通话)往往在不同的社会领域互补分布,通用语较多地通行于政治,经济,学校教育等现代社会的重要领域,本族语则大多使用于民间文艺,地方习俗,日常生活,乡村家庭等传统的生活领域。随着双语的广泛接触,这些不同领域在藏族社会中所占的比重不断发生变化,两种语言在社会生活中的重要性也随之发生相应的变化。汉语普通话随着政治,经济,学校教育等活动的的增加而用的越来越频繁,藏语则随着生活方式的改变和传统活动的减少而逐渐失去使用的机会和场合。

    (2)语言转用

    语言兼用发展到一定的时期,也就是强势语的势力越来越强势的时候,弱势民族的部分成员就会慢慢放弃自己的本族语而改用外来语言,这个时候就是语言转用时期了。

    语言转用是指一个民族或一个民族的部分人放弃放弃自己的母语而转用另一语言的现象。语言转用也称“语言替换”“语言替代”。语言转用从范围上分,有整体转用,主体转用,局部转用三种类型。整体转用是指一个民族全部转用另一语言,主体转用是指一个民族的大部分地区或部分人转用另一语言。局部转用是指一个民族的部分地区或部分人转用另一种语言。我们把局部转用看作是强势语言的接触初期,在强势语言的压力下,弱势民族只有少部分受到影响而已,如果强势语言继续发挥影响力就会使得弱势民族大部分人改用强势语。如果再继续发展下去就会导致整体转用现象。

    藏语的衰退使本民族的部分人转用通用语(汉语普通话)的现象非常严峻,从族群整体上看,目前处在从局部转用走进主体转用的状态,可四川,云南等地整体转用的现象频繁增多。由此得知,语言消亡是使用这一语言的群体最终完成语言转用,所有成员彻底放弃本族语言而完全转用另一种语言的结果。

    二 语言使用者的语言态度对语言变化的影响

    语言使用者的语言态度也会影响语言的变化,当语言接触导致语言产生变异形式时,即在演变的初始阶段,语言使用者的语言态度可能决定着语言变化的方向。

    由语言的社会文化功能所决定的模仿强势语言的心理,在一定程度上影响着语言变化的方向。藏族社会中,这种现象普遍存在,而且在不断地扩大。由于在强势语言的压力下,本族语言失去社会功能之后,藏族人对本民族的语言态度发生了重大的变化,在城市居住的藏族人在家庭中以汉语在交流,让小孩完全放弃本民族的语言和文字,使之转用通用语(汉语普通话)。很多人都以能说汉语为自豪,在任何场合下都兼用汉语。这种现象对语言衰退现象起着很大的作用,因为,语言态度与语言使用者的社会文化认同以及相关的心理机制有密切的联系。

    结语

    中华人民共和国宪法规定“各民族都有使用和发展自己语言文字的自由”。这个规定包含两层意思,可以从两方面体会,一方面是体现了民族平等和党的民族政策。另一方面说明了社会主义发展阶段,各民族需要使用和丰富发展自己的语言文字捉进现代化的发展。民族语言是民族形成的纽带,民族的重要特征,也是民族认同和民族内聚力的重要因素。民族语言在继承民族传统文化中起传导作用,在创造和发展民族新文化中起表述作用,是民族文化的民族特征和民族形式的重要体现者。在民族教育中,民族语言是最直接的传播工具。民族语言的保存,丰富和发展关键在于使用,换句话说,只有在使用的基础上,才有存在的价值,才能得到丰富和发展。为此,必须采取一定的措施保证民族语言的使用和发展。

    首先,要增强民族的自尊心,自信心和语言意识,充分理解本民族固有语言在本民族政治,经济,文化发展中的重要作用,排除学了民族语言没有用等急功近利的思想。其次,对双语现象要有深层的认识,要重视语言接触的社会现象。
    语言的生存活力有不同的状态,活跃兴盛,保持稳定,衰变退化,趋于危机,濒临消亡等。我们不难看出,现代藏语处于衰变退化与趋于危机的状态。如果语言消亡了,我们何谈民族,藏族文化之言啊!所以特此呼吁全民族“保护藏语就事保卫藏族文化”。望大家能重视语言的重要性,共同继承博大的传统文化,给子孙留下先进的,无损的藏族文化。

    恰嘎巴扎西才让于2008年11月25日在南开大学。

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  2. 藏語的學習資源真的很少...

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  3. 一个民族的文明,智慧与历史只能以基本民族语言进行积累和传承.如果一个藏族孩子因为藏语文眼前似乎不够实用而放弃学习,他她就会脱离自己民族文化的根源,从文化上变成另外的民族.若是一代藏族青少年都按这种实用方式行事,文化就会发生整体性断裂,民族在文化意义上也就会因此而失去传承.这对民族来说是一个灾难

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  4. 我认为在西宁主张建立藏文12年义务教育学校不合理。

    此一主张,应该改为在藏族学生多的学校,开设藏语课程,这个课程的服务对象,主要是藏族学生,也可以是有兴趣的汉族学生。通过语言课程,增进文化交流,并保持藏族学生的母语教育。藏语课程的设计。

    藏族同胞在争取保持民族文化的时候,应该着眼于藏民族的未来,藏民族的未来不是一个封闭的自我循环的社会,而是一个融入中国主流的,拥有自己民族特色的民族。这个特色,体现于藏人在汉人为主的社会里活跃发达竞争,同时保持自己的语言文化特征。

    西宁不是藏族自治区,不能要求建立带有封闭性质的藏人学校。美国是个多元社会,在某个族裔集中的地方,仍然以英语教学,但学校一般都有外语课程,为母语学习提供机会。为了母语教育,家长一般在课外另找时间为孩子补习。

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  5. 为什么西藏自治区的藏文水平最差呢?
    [ 2008-11-27 18:41:00 | By: arokbumo ]

    http://arokbumo.tibetcul.com/52603.html

    最近我和我的一个朋友专门调查了一下整个藏区的藏文水平. 我们很惊讶的发现西藏自治区的藏文成绩整个藏区里面最差. 因为在西藏自治区里实行一类模式教育的学校几乎没有. 这个一个非常严重的问题. 还有在拉萨的藏族大部分都喜欢到朗玛厅里面喝酒和跳舞. 关心民族文化和语言的人越来越来少. 藏文整体水平最好的地方是甘肃省甘南藏族自治州, 再过了青海黄南藏族自治州, 阿坝, 甘孜等藏族自治州. 倒数第几个是玉树, 迪庆, 西藏自治区. 从这个分析中我们可以看出西藏自治区对藏文和藏族文化的重视度. 还有很多优秀的孩子送到内地西藏班去的原因之一. 希望西藏自治区的藏族同胞多多重视藏文和藏族文化. 不要天天在舞厅里浪费时间.

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  6. 美国是个多元社会,在某个族裔集中的地方,仍然以英语教学,但学校一般都有外语课程,为母语学习提供机会。为了母语教育,家长一般在课外另找时间为孩子补习。

    --------
    你说的是美国公立学校系统。私立学校里以双语教学的很多。藏人聚居区里办藏语小学,并不等于不教汉语和英语,完全可以参照印度藏人学校的方式。

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  7. 把西藏自治区看作整体得出此结论是非常欠妥的,实在不能苟同!西藏自治区的7个地市间的差别也非常大。不如说,日喀则和山南的整体藏文水平(不光是文化精英,应包括农牧民)应该不逊于所提到的安多的地区,甚至更好(把农牧民考虑进去后)。希望慎重!

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  8. 印度藏人学校的模式,可以在藏族自治区域里争取。但不宜在西宁主张。西宁的公立学校,应以汉语教学为主,但可以争取增设藏语课。

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  9. 注:这篇提议已经译成英文,请见http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2008/12/proposal-to-establish-tibetan-language.html


    A Proposal to Establish A Tibetan Language Primary School in Xining

    High Peaks Pure Earth has translated a revealing blogpost written by someone calling themselves "The Messenger of the Land of Snow" (Chinese: 雪域使者 xueyu shizhe) and posted on their blog on 25th November 2008. Interestingly, the petition begins by pointing out that a Tibetan language school existed in Xining even during the rule of Ma Bufang and the Guomindang. Isn't the Communist Party supposed to be more enlightened in promoting the "equality of nationalities"?

    A Proposal to Establish A Tibetan Language Primary School

    At the beginning of 2008, the Tibetan residents of Xining City (Tibetan: zi ling) submitted a proposal entitled “A Proposal To Establish A Tibetan Language Primary School” to the First Session of the Tenth Meeting of Qinghai Provincial Political Consultative Conference and the First Session of the Eleventh Meeting of Qinghai Provincial People’s Congress via members of the Political Consultative Conference and members of the People’s Congress. But only now did they receive a response. In response to proposals No. 112 and No. 138 concerning the establishment of a Tibetan language primary school in Xining City, the Xining Municipal People’s Government replied that “at present, Xining City seriously lacks educational resources and the issues of large classes and large schools have not been completely solved yet. The current educational resources of Xining city are only able to address the issue of attending school for students belonging to the phase of compulsory education. Furthermore, Tibetan residents in Xining are rather scattered, thus, the government is not able to provide qualified teachers or funds to set up a Tibetan school. At present, the condition to build a Tibetan school has not matured yet, and it is temporarily impossible for us to achieve the goal”. In the column “a further request” attached to the appendix entitled “Survey Questions Concerning the Proposal”, the initiator of the proposal frankly wrote his opinion, expressing his firm belief in realizing his wish: “As always, we strongly demand the government to conform with public opinion and establish a Tibetan language school in Xining City!”

    (The blog author’s comment: for the sake of political stability and sustainable development of a harmonious society, the government should respect popular will and sincerely and carefully consider the basic cultural demand of the minority nationalities).

    Original Text of the Proposal:

    A Proposal to Establish A Tibetan Language Primary School

    For many years, Tibetan residents in Xining City, through various means including such channels as the proposals submitted by the Political Consultative Conference, have demanded
    the relevant departments of the government to actively co-ordinate and implement the Qinghai Provincial Government’s order to establish a Mongolian and Tibetan language school in Xining, and establish a Tibetan language primary school with compulsory education system where the study mainly focuses on the Tibetan language in Xining. But this wish has never been realized. Recently we learned from the media that Xining city is carrying out large-scale integration and adjustment to educational resources. However, it is a pity that the Xining City Tibetan Language School, for which many Tibetan residents have petitioned for many years, has still not been put on the agenda of the government, thus, we have to report to you again in this way. We hope the issue can be solved appropriately so as to satisfy the right to receive education of around 4,000 school-age children who are descendants of approximately 20,000 Tibetans in Xining city, and to ensure the compulsory education system will reflect the rights of equality among nationalities and among languages.

    To this end, we give the following reasons:

    The Tibetan education of the earlier period in Xining city started during the Republican Period. In 1933 (the 22nd year of the Republican Period), the Tibetan and Mongolian Upper Strata members Lobsang Jamcho (blo bzang ‘jam chos, Tian En-yu) and A Fushou advocated establishing the Association of Promoting Mongolian and Tibetan Culture in Qinghai and in 1934 the Mongolian and Tibetan Primary School, as well as the Mongolian and Tibetan Middle School, were established. While Ma Bufang was the Director of the association and was concurrently the principal of the schools, Lobsang Jamchu was a member of the board of directors of the association and the deputy principal. Both schools offered the Tibetan language and culture courses. In 1939 Sangre Gyatso also came to Xining to be the Tibetan language teacher and was responsible for compiling the textbooks. Later, Sangre was the Director of the Education Bureau of Qinghai province and held other positions. There were over 600 students at the peak of the school. Many Tibetan and Mongolian cadres right after the liberation, including many old cadres alive now, were trained in this school.

    Social development has provided a good basis for solving the problem of Tibetan education and the Qinghai Provincial Government has long realized the necessity of establishing a Tibetan language school in Xining city. The Qinghai Provincial Government has always adhered to the Marxist principle of the equality of languages, ensuring the freedom of study, using and developing the minority nationality languages, and fully taking into consideration the importance and urgency of Tibetan language education in the Xining area. It has studied and weighed the situation, and it is far-sighted that in the last century it made the decision to set up a nationality language school in Xining. It proposed that the Nationality Committee of Qinghai Province, the Education Committee of Qinghai Province and the Xining Municipal Government should actively create conditions so as to jointly establish a 12-year Mongolian and Tibetan school (Document No. 5 issued by Qinghai Province in 1997 and document No. 26 issued by Qinghai Provincial Office in 1998). But due to various reasons, the order of Qinghai Province has not been carried out. With the strong demand of Tibetan compatriots in Xining City, some educational institutions in Xining City once tried to set up schools on their own, or tried to satisfy the children’s need for the education in the mother tongue through training at weekends. But because of various reasons, including the institutions not being run smoothly, insufficient funds, bad management or the system of moving on to the next level of schooling, it is unavoidable for the various schools or projects that they have tragically ended prematurely. In response to the request of members of the Qinghai Tibetan Research Institute, the institute once attempted to establish a nine-year Tibetan language school non-governmentally but we do not know the reason why it has not received permission from the Xining Municipal Education Bureau.

    The Tibetan population in Xining city has increased drastically in the recent years and there are more and more Tibetans whose first language (mother tongue) and whose main language of communication is Tibetan, thus, there is an acute conflict between the increase of the Tibetan population and the fact that the education of the Tibetan children in their mother tongue is not guaranteed. At present there are approximately 200,000 Tibetans in Xining city and if we count at a ratio of 1,536 pupils or middle school students for every 10,000 people, there should be over 30,720 pupils and middle school students. If we estimate that over 60% of the Tibetan population has Tibetan as their first language, then there would be over 10,000 Tibetan children whose first language is Tibetan. In addition, there are another 40,000 Tibetans, including cadres who retired with special honors or who retired and are living in Xining city, traders and other temporary residents, the floating population and peasant workers. It is a conservative estimation that the number of Tibetan children alone reaches over 10,000. Therefore the Xining area has the characteristic that the Tibetan population lives in a comparatively concentrated area and there are many school-age children. In the entire Xining area, except the Tibetan language school in Sanmenxia area of Datong (gser khog) and Qiongjia area of Huangzhong (ru shar rdzong) county respectively, most urban communities or villages do not have Tibetan language schools, furthermore, there is not one Tibetan language school higher than primary school level. But the Tibetan population in Xining city has continuously increased, and the population of temporary residents and the floating population of farmers and nomads have increased sharply. In terms of the population, the Tibetan population in Xining City far exceeds that of Haibei (mtsho byang) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and Haixi (mtsho nub) Mongolian and Tibetan Prefecture. The right of many Tibetan children to receive education in their mother tongue has not been guaranteed. Meanwhile, in Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province, all Tibetan prefectures and their subordinating counties have built quarters for retired cadres but there is no condition to have Tibetan language education inside and outside the community. The lack of nationality education, especially the fundamental education of Tibetan language, has become an increasingly prominent problem in Tibetan society and it also has an impact on the great situation of the unity, progress and harmony among nationalities. Only if a Tibetan language primary school with compulsory education system is to be established in the capital Xining, can the acute conflict between the expectation of the basic education for the urban Tibetan population and the lack of the Tibetan language education be solved.

    At present, Xining City definitely has the ability to invest in setting up a Tibetan language primary school so as to satisfy the Tibetans’ need for basic education. Before the reform and opening to the outside world, or even a few years ago, Xining City and even the entire province was always in a comparatively backward state with an under-developed economy, and the investment in public facilities and projects was rather limited. In addition, it also lacked funds and ability to solve all the problems concerning Tibetan education in the urban area. With the development and improvement of the society, the social economy of the entire province and the entire city has continuously developed, and Xining City’s investment in the basic education has continuously risen, for instance, annual investment in the educational undertakings in 2005 reached 2,031,320,000 Yuan. But up to now, Xining City government has not built or does not have the intention to set up a Tibetan language school starting from primary school in Xining. The plan to build a Tibetan language school has never been placed on the agenda of the various governments and we can not help but view this as a regrettable matter! From the perspective of the degree of the social economic development and the educational investment, the condition for Xining City to completely solve the problem of basic education for Tibetans and to guarantee the Tibetans’ right to receive education has fully ripened. It has sufficient ability to do so, and measures should be taken.

    Basic Tibetan education is needed to improve the thinking ability of Tibetan children, to improve the overall quality and to ensure social harmony. Language is the important marker for a nationality which reflects the spirit of a nationality. Meanwhile, besides universal principles, language also has evident national characteristics, and it is a main vehicle for reflecting national culture. The right to receive language education is one of the basic rights for survival and development. In theory, offering Tibetan language courses targeted at the Tibetan children whose mother tongue is Tibetan, is closely related to the improvement of the cultural quality of all the people and a reflection of the degree of civilization of a society. It is also beneficial to the full development of the logical thinking of Tibetan children, the effective improvement of their cognitive ability and it is also helpful for one to learn the second language, Chinese, and foreign languages. In any country, the issue concerning one’s right to the education of the nationality language is related to the inheritance and continuity of the national tradition and the national culture, and any nationality has the right to receive education in one’s national language. Judging from the overall national trend, The Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture has implemented the national education policy, which emphasizes both Korean, Chinese, and foreign languages and Inner Mongolia has also maintained that “none of the mother tongues, Chinese or English is dispensable”. They have all provided valuable experiences for the development of national education and the improvement of the overall quality. However, except Sanmenxia primary school of Datong County and some primary schools in the villages of Qiongjia Township have Tibetan language classes, so far none of the district or counties under the jurisdiction of Xining County has a Tibetan language school which conforms to the Tibetan children’s mother tongue and satisfies their need to learn culture. The issue concerning over 10,000 Tibetan children receiving education in their mother tongue has become a social problem which worries most people. We propose to establish Tibetan language schools targeting the city and its surrounding areas, to improve the comparatively more advanced mother tongue education system within the region, to scientifically foster and develop the children’s language and thinking. We also advocate to fully improve the children’s level of intelligence, to strengthen national unity and to promote the goal of social harmony through ensuring the harmony of languages.

    We sincerely hope you will formally respond to our suggestions!

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