Overview and ‘Heart Essence’ of the Bhutanese Education System

Abstract

This chapter provides an understanding of the Bhutanese education system from primary to upper-secondary. In doing this, it considers the distinguishing characteristics of the present system of education, and examines how the system is shaped and determined by Bhutan’s guiding philosophy of development, Gross National Happiness. The second part of this chapter considers Educating for GNH as the ‘heart essence’ of the unique education system suited to a truly GNH society – a society that recognizes and seeks to address the basic human aspiration of continued happiness and prosperity of all beings, and examines its current state of development and the prospects and opportunities for the future.