Samtse College of Education

Samtse College of Education (SCE) is a constituent college of the Royal University of Bhutan located in Samtse dzongkhag in southwestern Bhutan. It was established on 29 May 1968 as the Teacher Training Institute, making it the oldest teacher education institution in the country and one of the earliest tertiary-level establishments in Bhutan.^[1]

The college is one of two dedicated teacher training colleges within the Royal University of Bhutan, the other being Paro College of Education. Together the two institutions train almost all of Bhutan's primary and secondary school teachers. Samtse traditionally specialised in secondary teacher training, while Paro focused on primary education, although the distinction has eroded as both colleges have broadened their offerings.

SCE has been renamed twice. It was reconstituted as the National Institute of Education in 1983 and renamed Samtse College of Education in 2003 when it was incorporated into the newly federated Royal University of Bhutan.

Founding and early years

The Teacher Training Institute was launched on 29 May 1968 by the Third King, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, as part of his programme to expand modern education in Bhutan. The college began with 41 students and a small number of teacher educators, drawing both Bhutanese and Indian staff. Its location in Samtse, in the southern foothills, reflected the Royal Government's wish to have a national institution accessible to students from all parts of the country and connected by road to West Bengal and Assam, from where many of the early staff travelled.^[2]

The institute initially offered a two-year primary teacher training certificate. Programmes were expanded during the 1970s with the support of the United Nations Development Programme and other donor agencies, and by the late 1970s the college was producing the bulk of Bhutan's newly recruited primary teachers.

National Institute of Education

In 1983 the institution was renamed the National Institute of Education (NIE), reflecting its expanded mandate to train secondary as well as primary teachers. NIE introduced a Bachelor of Education programme during the 1990s in collaboration with the University of Delhi, with degrees awarded by Delhi until the establishment of RUB in 2003. During the same period the institute developed in-service training programmes for serving teachers, including the Postgraduate Certificate in Education and a series of subject-specific upgrading courses.

Royal University of Bhutan

With the establishment of the Royal University of Bhutan in 2003 the institute was integrated as a constituent college and renamed Samtse College of Education. Degrees from that point have been awarded under RUB authority. The college's academic remit was reorganised to focus on secondary teacher education, primary teacher education being concentrated at Paro, although both colleges have continued to offer programmes spanning the full range of school levels.^[3]

Programmes

Samtse College of Education currently offers Bachelor of Education programmes for primary and secondary teaching across subjects including English, Dzongkha, mathematics, science, social studies, geography, history and physical education. Postgraduate offerings include the Postgraduate Diploma in Education, the Master of Education and the Master of Arts in Education. The college also runs in-service short courses for serving teachers in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Skills Development.^[4]

Research and outreach themes at the college include teacher pedagogy, inclusive education, educational psychology, curriculum development, Dzongkha-medium teaching, and the integration of Gross National Happiness values into school education.

Campus and student life

The Samtse campus is located on the southern plain at an elevation of around 300 metres, with a sub-tropical climate that contrasts sharply with most other RUB colleges. Facilities include classroom blocks, laboratories, a library, hostels, sports grounds, a multipurpose auditorium and a demonstration school used for teaching practice. Student enrolment is typically around 1,000 to 1,200, drawn from across Bhutan, with a substantial proportion of female students.

Practical information

Location: Samtse town, Samtse dzongkhag, Bhutan
Affiliation: Constituent college of the Royal University of Bhutan
Established: 29 May 1968 (as Teacher Training Institute)
Website: www.sce.edu.bt