Qinghai: Gangjong Sherig Norbu Lobling, a prestigious Tibetan school located in Golog prefecture on the Tibetan Plateau, was ordered to close in July, following months of pressure from Chinese authorities. Despite the school's legal victories, local authorities enforced its shutdown, citing vague violations of the Qinghai Provincial Party Committee's vocational school standards. No specific details were provided regarding the alleged violations.

Founded in 1994, the school was widely recognized for its emphasis on Tibetan cultural and linguistic studies, attracting students from Tibet, Mongolia, and Inner Mongolia. Its curriculum encompassed a variety of subjects, including Tibetan language, Buddhist philosophy, computer science, engineering, and medicine, earning international support from countries such as Finland and the Netherlands.

At a roundtable hosted by the Tibet Policy Institute in July, Shede Dawa of Tibet Watch highlighted the school's significance in preserving Tibetan heritage. Despite the region being referred to as an "open air prison" by activists, the school had managed to reconnect Tibetan youth with their cultural roots. Dawa emphasized the importance of preserving the Tibetan language and script for the survival of the Tibetan people.

The school’s closure marks the latest episode in China’s broader campaign to erode Tibetan culture and language through its Sinicization policies. Human rights monitors have reported a gradual replacement of Tibetan textbooks with Chinese ones, part of a 2010 mandate requiring all schools in Tibet to use Chinese as the primary language. "The Chinese government is systematically closing Tibetan schools and monasteries to weaken Tibetan culture," said Dawa Tsering, director of the Tibet Policy Institute.

The school was not immune to legal scrutiny in recent years. In 2018, a student group at the school faced accusations of using symbols resembling the banned Tibetan national flag, which the Chinese government interprets as separatist. The investigation, however, did not lead to closure at that time.

In a final blow, the regional administration ramped up its efforts, targeting the school for alleged infractions, such as hosting underage monks or nuns, which is illegal under Chinese law. Despite these legal challenges, the school had produced hundreds of graduates who became leaders, researchers, teachers, and entrepreneurs, contributing significantly to Tibetan society.

The school's founder, Gen Jigme Gyaltsen, was cleared of corruption allegations earlier this summer, but on July 14, he announced the school's closure, leaving students and faculty uncertain about their future. A former student's sister was reportedly arrested for spreading "misinformation" about the shutdown, and her whereabouts remain unknown.

The closure comes amid a wider crackdown on Tibetan educational institutions. Eight of the remaining 16 private Tibetan schools have already been shut down, with others facing similar pressure. Dzoge County authorities recently ordered 300 young monks to disrobe and enroll in government schools, further curbing Tibetan religious and cultural practices.

International bodies have criticized China for its actions. Under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by China in 1992, minority children have the right to education in their own language. However, opportunities to study in Tibetan are rapidly disappearing.

Lhadon Tethong, founder of Tibet Action Institute, condemned China’s actions, calling the closure a blatant contradiction of its claims that Tibetan children need boarding schools due to geographic isolation. “Closing a highly acclaimed school in a remote region while claiming a lack of local education exposes China’s hypocrisy,” she said.

On July 29, 100 academics petitioned the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, urging global pressure on China to respect international education standards and preserve Tibetan linguistic and cultural heritage. As Tibetan youth face diminishing educational opportunities, advocates like Tempa Gyaltsen Zamlha, Deputy Director of the Tibet Policy Institute, issued a simple but urgent call to the international community: “Bring attention to the matter.”