0（https://dgi.edu.bt/cart）

Skip to Content

Open Menu Close Menu

Open Menu Close Menu

BHUTAN BACCALAUREATE

Creating Constructive Contributory Citizens of a Just and Harmonious Society

HISTORY OF THE BHUTAN BACCALAUREATE

The inception of the Bhutan Baccalaureate is intertwined with the establishment of The Royal Academy, which dates back to December 2010. A survey on the question “What do you want your children to learn”, conducted in May 2011 gathered perspectives from various segments of Bhutanese society from across the country about their educational aspirations. The survey findings significantly influenced the basis of philosophy and curriculum of the Bhutan Baccalaureate. To read more on the History of the Bhutan Baccalaureate, click the button below.

Learn more（https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jDh_5QODvdS8zDlywJn_YRmU04t_zLkf/view?usp=sharing）

PHILOSOPHICAL UNDERPINNINGS

The teachings of Guru Padmasambhava serve as the basis for the philosophy of The Bhutan Baccalaureate. At the heart of Guru Padmasambhava’s teaching is the realization of primordial wisdom (yeshey – ཡེ་ཤེས), which is understood as the recognition of one’s innate awakened state. Similarly, The Bhutan Baccalaureate sees as its mission the harnessing or awakening of the primordial wisdom of every learner. An important feature of Padmasambhava’s teachings is the practice of unearthing treasures (Terma – གཏེར་མ) by treasure-discoverers (Terton – གཏེར་སྟོན). The Bhutan Baccalaureate similarly seeks to enable learners to become their own treasure-discoverers and unearth within themselves the various treasures that form a part of their innate being, their primordial wisdom. The Bhutan Baccalaureate believes that education is not just about learning but more importantly about helping a learner develop and recognize the Skills, Processes, and Watermarks that are necessary for self-actualization.

Drawing inspiration from Guru Padmasambhava’s approach, the Bhutan Baccalaureate Learning Process emphasises contextualisation rather than replacement. Like the way Guru Padmasambhava integrated diverse systems of knowledge while preserving the essence of his own teachings, the Learning Process views all cultural and natural environments as enabling environments for learning. The Learning Process draws from the strengths of the specific contexts, circumstances, and communities where learning takes place.

BHUTAN BACCALAUREATE LEARNING PROCESS

The Bhutan Baccalaureate Learning Process aims to develop Persons of Substance who appreciate and value their cultural roots while adapting to a changing world. The Learning Process assumes every human being has the power of intelligence and emphasises the role of education in augmenting this intelligence. It does not focus on simply imparting knowledge or students acing examinations but on building life skills and understanding processes of learning. It helps students to become self-directed learners, able to draw on a wide variety of resources, both traditional and emerging. With the assumption that everyone possesses a natural sense of curiosity and unique abilities, it helps students to engage thoughtfully with the world around them.

The Bhutan Baccalaureate Learning Process emphasises helping learners become self-directed learners. Becoming a self-directed learner will enable learners to constantly adapt and evolve, thereby actualising their dynamic innate potential. During this process, every individual takes a unique path, follows a suitable pace and sets their own standards to learn and grow in each of the Five Areas of Development.

To learn more about the Bhutan Baccalaureate Learning Process, click the button below.

Learn more（https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a28HPlMOCMmGMSAimCAVlsxh0XcA6NJk/view?usp=sharing）

Bhutan Baccalaureate Curriculum

The Bhutan Baccalaureate Curriculum is grounded on six development stages of learners that range from 2 to 17 years. Each stage focuses on a set of Skills, Processes, and Watermarks in five development areas through the rigorous learning process and assessment practices in seven domains. The Domains are English, Dzongkha, Mathematics, Aesthetics & Technology, Sports, and Life Science. The BB Curriculum also consists of courses authorized by AP College Board .（https://apcourseaudit.inflexion.org/ledger/school/ai/663001）

To enable the leaders of tomorrow to embrace opportunities, educational systems need to be ever-evolving, constantly adapting not only to the needs of the present, but also those of an anticipated future. In this light, the Bhutan Baccalaureate curriculum strives to remain futuristic and ever evolving with opportunities for contextualisation at local and national levels, allowing individuals to actualise their potential in becoming a constructive contributory citizen in creating a just and harmonious society.

Five Areas of Development

The Five Areas of Development in the Bhutan Baccalaureate are Social Area of Development, Emotional Area of Development, Spiritual Area of Development, Physical Area of Development, and Cerebral Area of Development.

The Five Areas of Development are the lens through which the Learning Process views the wholistic growth of learners. These areas are not standalone, but deeply interconnected aspects of a learner’s growth. Recognising this, the Learning Process is designed to focus on all five areas simultaneously, ensuring that learners are supported in becoming well-rounded individuals capable of adapting to a rapidly changing world.

The Bhutan Baccalaureate’s Five Areas of Development has also been selected by HundrED’s (in Finland) top 100 education innovations since 2018. Click here（https://hundred.org/en/innovations/bhutan-baccalaureate-five-areas-of-development）to view HundrED’s page on the Bhutan Baccalaureate’s Five Areas of Development.

Assessment and Reporting

Assessment and Reporting in the Bhutan Baccalaureate is the engine that drives the Learning Process. It aims to help learners develop Skills, Processes and Watermarks, and grow in the Five Areas of Development. Assessment is a means to enable and nurture wholistic development of Learners. It should help Learners view and understand their Learning journey – the particular areas of improvement and more importantly, the patterns and relationship of their growth.

This analysis of their learning journey is both qualitative and quantitative in nature, through the use and emphasis of Roadmaps, reflection, reviews, and effective feedback. Assessment is a continuous and evolving process, which intends to strengthen and enable a learner’s understanding of themselves. It encourages Learners to constantly be in the learning mode, to recognize and identify their internal resources and areas they want to develop further.