Dear Parents,

The best expressions of man’s emotions are better written than articulated, considering the fact that the strongest of feelings and depth of meaning can be comprehended to better clarity richly measured in brevity or vastly effusive in unambiguous compositions. What could have been misunderstood in our communication in the last many months and days could be amended at this juncture with disclosure and rephrasing of what could be no better than an authentic confession and re-visitation on past incidences without harbouring ill will.

I believe that some people live by the ideals and beliefs that society culturally charters out for them from childhood to adulthood as part of their life’s experiences, while some lives and charters their own ideals and beliefs from the daily experiences to teach others in the pathways of  humanely successful living. I live in both ways in my own cocooned beliefs, comprehending what is moral or immoral communally and ethically. In the last nearly a decade of my life as a teacher I have lived and worked with firm commitment to the ethos of change of system, serving as diligently as I should serve in my miniscule role as a teacher expressing perseveringly the value of punctuality and industry as the core of my strength in all the diminutive efforts put for the betterment of colleagues and students. Not many a times though, my strengths of values demonstrated in remonstration on those who fail to work by ethics of the school policies have confronted me with ridicule and dissent from few prudent colleagues, erudite parents and even venerated superiors who believed that my work modes are technically not conducive for the learners or that it was estranged from the policies of matter, making some allowance for my untainted intentions or the endeavor and risk put selflessly for whatever change must have effected for the betterment  in the system, primarily the students who were strayed from time to time and day after day.

I am sure that some of you could be seeing me as a black spot on the white paper owing to your contradictions of my harsher way of dealing with offenders. I accept your blame and reprimand humbly. But I would like to inform you that such cases are a mere few considering the large number of students who I am sure must have benefitted and realized and changed in behavior and attitude. I only wish and pray that your son and daughter will be successful in their lives. I was aware that what was heard or seen, if at all seen, by others about the firmness and penalties causing fear among students are from those few who would have encountered grave disciplinary offences by themselves inspite of repetitive cautionary measures taken for months with concern and love for the good of their future life. Occasionally, but very unfortunately, the situation of failure necessitated some sort of punishment from the custodians, though in ways not deemed acceptable by law, nevertheless consented as indispensable by common beliefs by fatherly or motherly teachers. But since Law abides supreme whatsoever, it is only justifiable that those who are my professional guardians must rectify, recommend and arbitrate not just for my moral metamorphosis but also for the tender children whose future lives must brighten Bhutan to its farthest corners.

I have sacrificed time and energy to its highest limits working beyond regular time at school and home, spending lengthy hours providing moral advices on your behalf believing that change and adaptation may occur gradually for their good and your complacent satisfaction at their successes. I have seen our teachers making arrangements in infinite ways to nurture your siblings morally from classroom, to staffroom to outside school premises. Our teachers live and work very intimately with your children, building every good rapport to make them receptive and willing to adapt to change. This strength is reportedly our best qualities according to our graduated students of the last five years.

Under whatsoever circumstances I said or took actions as a manager, believe me if you have to, it was without any ulterior motive or for any satisfaction of my senses; rather it was with the view that we or the students could be advantaged unequivocally to become GNH graduate in the near future. Though the administrative, professional and social decisions taken were mostly with discussion with any one or teachers’ group concerned, it seemingly yet failed to equally ease and provide ‘equity and justice’ to every children on the same platform owing to our differences in expectations of a right strategy. I wished often that I should have been clairvoyant to understand our children and parents needs and opinions.

I thank you sincerely for being considerate on me for whatever and whoever I am and you for supporting me with logic and reason in discipline matters, for being honest and straight in correcting my illusive errors, for recognizing my strengths and weaknesses, for the generous personal and professional support received and for recognizing me in whatever capacity or caricature in your opinion since 2010 February until 31^st May 2012 and here after.

I pray that your sweet son and daughter will climb ladders of greater achievement and rejoice wilder prosperity fulfilling your lives with wealth and joy in extravagant beauty! May you work as loyally as you have towards nurturing our children safely and fruitfully to the shore of their goals. May you live in happy health always smiling with the results and change that come positively for the children.

Thank you for being my teacher. You are my greatest epitome and inspiration.

Adieu Sirs and Madams and missus

Namgyal Tshering