Bhutan PM raises salaries of teachers, doctors and nurses .. ..

Just saw Rajnikant in ‘Kuselan’ ~ in the climax the hero Ashok Kumar (Rajni) speaks highly of School teachers and of classmates .. .. do you remember / recall the names of your elementary school teachers ? – when was the last time, you interacted with a teacher in a school ! .. .. and do you earn more than a teacher ??

The 12^th year of our Education centre – SYMA Growth commenced with a pooja on 12.6.2019 – this centre provides quality educational support to under-privileged children [around 120 students of X & +2 at Triplicane].  This centre provides ample opportunity to be in the midst of students of economically backward and to talk to dedicated teaching staff at the centre.. ..

The subject matter of the post is a Prime Minister of our neighbouring country – a real multi-tasking master – not sure whether you would have identified this footballer or the surgeon at the operating table to be the present Prime Minister !

In the 18th century, the Bhutanese invaded and occupied the kingdom of Koch Bihar. In 1772, the Maharaja of Koch Bihar appealed to the British East India Company which assisted by ousting the Bhutanese and later in attacking Bhutan itself in 1774. A peace treaty was signed in which Bhutan agreed to retreat to its pre-1730 borders. However, the peace was tenuous, and border skirmishes with the British were to continue for the next hundred years. The skirmishes eventually led to the Duar War (1864–65), a confrontation for control of the Bengal Duars. After Bhutan lost the war, the Treaty of Sinchula was signed between British India and Bhutan. As part of the war reparations, the Duars were ceded to the United Kingdom in exchange for a rent of Rs. 50,000. The treaty ended all hostilities between British India and Bhutan.

Bhutan is a landlocked country, located in the Eastern Himalayas,  bordered by the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China, Sikkim, Chumbi valleu, States of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal.    Thimphu is its capital and largest city.  The independence of Bhutan has endured for centuries and it has never been colonized in its history. Situated on the ancient Silk Road between Tibet, the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, the Bhutanese state developed a distinct national identity based on Buddhism. Headed by a spiritual leader known as the Zhabdrung Rinpoche, the territory was composed of many fiefdoms and governed as a Buddhist theocracy.  The country's landscape ranges from lush subtropical plains in the south to the sub-alpine Himalayan mountains in the north, where there are peaks in excess of 7,000 metres (23,000 ft). Gangkhar Puensum is the highest peak in Bhutan.

In South Asia, Bhutan ranks first in economic freedom, ease of doing business, and peace; and is the least corrupt country as of 2016. However, Bhutan continues to be a least developed country. Bhutan is also notable for pioneering the concept of gross national happiness.

Lotay Tshering , the current Prime Minister is unique, he is a Doctor, who spends his weekends at an operating table and tending to patients. Dr Lotay Tshering was one of Bhutan’s most highly regarded doctors before he entered politics and while his prime ministerial duties occupy him during the week, on weekends he returns to the hospital as a way to let off steam. “Some people play golf, some do archery, and I like to operate,” Tshering said as he tended to patients one Saturday morning at Jigme Dorji Wangchuck national referral hospital, describing his moonlighting medical work as a “de-stresser”.

After a first failed election attempt in 2013, Tshering was voted in as prime minister of Bhutan in November 2018. He is the third democratic leader since the country.   He is in news for good reasons !! .. .. .. In a move earning it praise, Bhutan has announced that salaries of teachers, doctors, nurses, and all medical staff will be hiked to make them the highest paid civil servants in the country, The Bhutanese reported. The cabinet decision was taken on June 5. Terming the announcement a “huge strategical move”, the news portal stated that the announcement has overturned the present hierarchy in which unofficial civil service administrators enjoyed various perks including training and trips.

Explaining the improved pay scale, the report states: “The numbers of teachers involved in the hike are huge as there are 8,679 teachers, followed by the medical staff who number around 4,000”. A press release issued by the Bhutanese Prime Minister’s Office stated: “If the pay revision comes through as proposed by the government, teaching becomes the highest paid profession in the country.” The reason for the pay revision, The Bhutanese reports, could be higher stress levels and longer working hours in both medical as well as teaching profession  In a revolutionary move, Education and Health have been given a top spot by the Bhutan Cabinet in a recent pay revision meeting.

As per the new salary hike, teachers with zero to 10 years of experience have been given a 35 per cent professional allowance, whereas a teacher with 10 to 20 years of experience has been given a 45 per cent allowance and 55 per cent has been given to teachers with experience above 20 years. In addition, as per a Bhutan Professional Standards, 10 per cent allowance is given to a proficient teacher, 15 per cent for an accomplished teacher and 20 per cent for a distinguished teacher, the report said. As far as medical staff are concerned, “MBBS doctors get a 45 per cent professional allowance while specialists get between 55 to 60 per cent. Nurses and clinical staff start at 35 per cent for 10 years and go to 45 per cent for above 10 to 20 years and then hit 55 per cent for above 20 years.”

Really laudable attempt ~  respect thy teachers.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

15^th June 2019.