Why do boarding schools matter in Xizang?
Imagine growing up more than 4,700 meters above sea level, where herding families are spread across vast grasslands and the nearest school can be hours away.
For many children in China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, boarding schools provide a practical path to education while allowing them to remain connected to their families and traditions.
Thirteen-year-old Tenzin Lobsang is one of them. Living around two hours from Baingoin Sinopec Primary School, his family chose boarding during the school term.
At school, he shares a dormitory with classmates, studies Tibetan alongside Mandarin, Math and English, plays football after class, and dreams of one day attending one of China’s leading universities.
His story reflects a broader reality. By 2024, more than 80 percent of children from farming and herding families receiving compulsory education in Xizang were boarders, underscoring the role boarding schools play in expanding access to education across the plateau.
