[Lee Jong-gil's Movie Reading] Living Together: Bhutan's Happiness Education Method

Director Pau Choining Dorji's 'Yak in the Classroom'

Bhutan's national indicator is not Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but Gross National Happiness (GNH). It was proposed by King Jigme Singye Wangchuck when he ascended the throne in 1972. Having studied in the UK and India, he held this belief: "Governments and citizens of all countries strive to increase economic wealth. Those who achieve it live comfortably. However, many people remain poor and miserable despite the nation's wealth increasing. They are socially marginalized and suffer discrimination."

At that time, Bhutan relied on agriculture and barter trade. The per capita income was only 51 dollars. The average life expectancy was just 38 years. There were only two doctors and eleven schools in total. By adopting GNH enhancement as a national development strategy, the situation changed dramatically. Although still one of the poorest countries, Bhutan has achieved high social and economic accomplishments. The government provides free public education from kindergarten to university. Medical services are also free. Thanks to this, life expectancy has increased to 69 years.

The top priority in all policies is education. The current king, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, said in a 2014 speech: "Education empowers and realizes social equity while promoting self-actualization so that each individual's potential is fully expressed. Good education becomes a means to effectively achieve confidence, judgment, good character, and happiness. Good schools guarantee equal opportunities for success to children so that personal achievements are not determined by race, parents' status, gender, or social connections."

Free compulsory education in Bhutan is not an easy task because people live scattered in remote mountainous areas. The government mandates building elementary schools even if the number of students is small. Children in areas where schools cannot be built are made to live in dormitories at neighboring schools. One or two teachers are dispatched to branch schools to operate combined classes. Branch schools can only be established if at least ten students gather, accepting children from preparatory elementary (age 6) to third grade (age 9). This is to prevent young children from commuting long distances.

In the movie Yak in the Classroom, Yugen (Sherab Dorji) is transferred to the Lunana branch school. It is a remote area at an altitude of 4,800 meters with a population of fifty-six. It takes eight days to reach from the capital Thimphu, three of which are on mountain trails.

The Lunana branch school, which Yugen finally reaches with difficulty, is desolate. Desks and chairs are covered with thick dust. There is no blackboard, and even paper is hard to come by. Yugen complains to the village chief with a tearful face: "Honestly, I wonder how to teach here. This is the most remote school in the world. I don't know what the previous teacher did, but I can't do it. I didn't volunteer for this. I want to go back. I didn't want to be a teacher either."

Director Phau Choining Dorji focuses on the process of Yugen teaching children and meeting villagers, and being inspired. At the core are values such as love, friendship, trust, harmony, and respect. These values, which cannot be bought with money, sustain close human relationships and become sources of happiness.

This also has great social and economic value. It is closely related to the recently emphasized concept of social capital. Social capital refers to the ability of people to organize or form groups for common purposes and cooperate under mutual trust.

Concerns that close human relationships are gradually weakening in advanced capitalist countries have long been raised. The remaining places are mostly rural or small villages. In big cities, such relationships disappear and are replaced by relatively active casual friendships. Deep and intimate relationships make people happier than broad and spontaneous ones. It can be inferred that people's happiness levels vary according to city size.

Economists and market advocates tend to dismiss this phenomenon. They argue that humans are inherently somewhat individualistic and materialistic, so there is no need to make a fuss. Since individual freedom is important, even if individualism and materialism increase slightly, it is not a problem. However, humans cannot live alone. Helping each other in difficult times and pursuing common interests creates strength. When society improves, individuals become happier as well.

The residents of Lunana even consider the yaks they raise as members of the community. This is evident in a conversation between the changed Yugen and the village chief.

"The teacher has helped the children a lot, so everyone is happy." "I am happy too." "It must be a connection from a past life." "Yes, I must have been a yak herder in a past life." "No, teacher, you were more than that. You must have been a yak." "A yak?" "Because they give us so much."

Yaks are mainly used for carrying loads. Their meat and milk are consumed as food. The Lunana residents make hard cube-shaped cheese and butter from yak milk. Their dung is dried and used as fuel for fires. They are indispensable and precious beings in the residents' lives.

Yugen is no different. Regardless of whether a country is developed or developing, poor people suffer from lack of food, clothing, and shelter. Even more frightening is the despair of never escaping poverty. Appropriate educational opportunities and healthy living conditions must be guaranteed to plan for the future. In this regard, Yugen points to a hopeful welfare system. As the Lunana children say, "The teacher is someone who gently touches the future."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.