China is implementing a system in which army veterans serve as “on-campus instructors” in Tibetan schools, aiming to instill patriotism and loyalty to the Chinese government in children as young as six. State-run media and sources within Tibet report that these instructors provide military-style training, including marching in fatigues, participating in air raid drills, and undergoing strict bed inspections. The initiative appears to be part of a broader strategy to assimilate Tibetan children into a Chinese identity by reshaping their cultural and political values.
According to Tibetan sources, the program is taking place in schools across the Tibet Autonomous Region as well as Tibetan-populated areas in Sichuan, Gansu, and Qinghai provinces. The instructors’ role goes beyond traditional teaching, incorporating ideological and political education intended to align students with Communist Party doctrines. This approach reflects Beijing’s intensified efforts to impose Mandarin as the primary language of instruction and replace traditional Tibetan cultural practices with state-approved narratives and behaviors.
The push to integrate military training into Tibetan schools coincides with the passage of amendments to China’s National Defense Education Law in 2024. The revised law expands military education programs in schools and colleges nationwide, with particular emphasis on areas like Tibet, where the Chinese government aims to foster a sense of unity with the Communist Party’s agenda. This policy shift follows decades of Chinese state-driven initiatives to curtail Tibetan language use, limit religious expression, and tighten political control over the region.
In some cases, military veterans stationed at Tibetan schools also oversee students’ daily routines and extracurricular activities. This includes organizing flag-raising ceremonies, leading students in singing patriotic songs, and sharing propaganda narratives that glorify the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the “Chinese nation.” The effort is presented by Chinese authorities as a “win-win” strategy, where retired military personnel can contribute to “national defense education” while helping mold the ideological outlook of Tibetan youth.
Critics view the program as part of a larger campaign to erode Tibetan cultural and national identity. By immersing children in military training and party propaganda from an early age, Beijing seeks to minimize their ties to Tibetan heritage and replace them with a loyalty to the Chinese state. Observers warn that such measures are likely to have long-term implications for the preservation of Tibetan traditions and community cohesion.
The program’s reach extends beyond primary and middle schools. Chinese authorities have also closed several Tibetan monastic schools, transferring young monks into state-administered boarding facilities that emphasize patriotic and ideological education. Such moves reinforce the perception that the Chinese government is systematically dismantling Tibetan cultural institutions and replacing them with structures that align more closely with its political goals.
While Beijing portrays these changes as efforts to modernize education and ensure national unity, critics argue that they represent a continuation of assimilation policies that have drawn international condemnation. Human rights advocates warn that the increasing militarization of Tibetan schools is a clear indication of China’s determination to suppress Tibetan identity and bring the region firmly under the Communist Party’s control.
Source: RFA Tibetan
