The project to improve the quality of education in the remote areas of Bhutan through the integration of digital technology has been completed

In December 2023 the project “Creation of interactive digital classrooms to support the transition from quantitative to qualitative education in two schools of two remote districts of Bhutan”, funded by the Otto x mille Chiesa Valdese, came to an end.

The context and the objective of the project

The project was born after exploring and detecting some issues that in recent years have crossed the education sector in Bhutan. In 2020 the King of Bhutan asked the government to modernize the education system, passing from a quantitative system to a qualitative one. The government made a great effort to connect to the internet all the districts, even the most remote ones, but unfortunately the gap between cities and remote areas is still very strong. The families living in cities have more possibilities of access to the internet network and to technological devices than the families living in the countryside. This technological gap translates into a substantial difference in the quality of the education provided in the different areas of the country. As the distance from the capital increases, the quality of the educational offer risks decreasing. Staying in relation with the country and its needs, we realized that creating interactive digital classrooms in the schools located in remote areas, and offering the possibility to follow distance teaching programs, could represent a precious opportunity.

ASIA's project, supported by the funding of the Otto x Mille Chiesa Valdese, made it possible to supply 19 digital boards and an interactive digital platform to two schools located in remote areas of Bhutan. Now, thanks to the project, 1277 students can finally access a better educational offer. 112 teachers have been trained in the use of the boards and of the platform, in order to guarantee a full use of the potential of these devices for teaching. 

The distribution of the digital boards in the schools

ASIA and the Nyo Foundation have guided this initiative, engaging in the distribution of digital devices, in the development of a school management system and in the training of the stakeholders involved.
In January 2023 the first meetings were held at the two beneficiary schools, Bjishong and Sonamthang. After months of planning and operational activities, the project was completed in December 2023, and given the positive impact obtained it was chosen to extend the project also to the districts of Gasa and Zhemgang.
The first step towards the realization of the project concerned the distribution of 19 digital boards, chosen after an in-depth market analysis. The supply contract, following a tender process, was awarded to the company Kinzang Traders after a careful evaluation of the offers, taking into account parameters such as price, quality and reliability of the product.

Subsequently, the digital boards were transported to the respective schools. A formal delivery ceremony was organized to celebrate this significant moment, with the participation of government representatives and district authorities. The project received a tangible recognition for its contribution to local education, with the awarding of appreciation certificates both by the schools involved and by the district authorities.

The realization of the digital platform for school management

The second activity of the project concerned the development and implementation of a digital platform for school management. To this end, the Druk Nyo Foundation collaborated with the developer Chencho Tshering, in charge of creating an intuitive and functional application. The agreement was finalized in February 2023, with a completion date scheduled for 30 November 2023.
The digital platform provided a series of essential functions, including the management of the class schedules, of the study programs, of the grades, of the permissions for teachers and students, of the exams, of the homework and of the teaching materials. In addition, specific functions were developed for students and parents, in order to facilitate communication and access to information.
During the development process, several meetings were organized between the Nyo, ASIA, the managers of the schools and the project manager to define the requirements and the architecture of the application. Tests and demonstrations were conducted periodically to evaluate the progress and to ensure that the platform met the needs of the schools involved.

At the end of the development phase, the project inaugurated a free support and maintenance phase lasting 12 months, starting from 16 October 2023. Despite some delays due to technical issues, the application was successfully released on the Google Play Store, guaranteeing wide accessibility and long-term sustainability.

The positive impact on the schools involved and the possibilities for the future

Looking to the future, the possibility of transferring the platform to the Department of Education of Bhutan is being explored, in order to guarantee a continuous management and support extended to the largest possible number of schools. The project had a significant impact on the two schools involved, directly benefiting hundreds of students and teachers. The promise of a quality and accessible education is shaping up as a concrete reality for the future of rural education in Bhutan.