The Youth Center Division of the Department of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Education joined the global community to observe the International Youth Day 2019 in Thimphu. The main objective of observing the day was to recognize the potential of young people as agents of change and to give them a platform to come together and celebrate their achievements with their friends. Based on the theme “Transforming Education”, the event highlighted the importance of making education more relevant, inclusive and accessible for all so that the youth of Bhutan would be able to acquire appropriate knowledge and skills that can help them cope with the emerging challenges of the 21st century. The event was graced by Hon’ble Prime Minister Dr. Lotay Tshering.
One of the most important features of the event was a panel discussion on the theme of the day. The Hon’ble Secretaries of Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health, the Director General of the Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour and Human Resources and the Director of Royal Education Council were on the panel which was moderated by BBS. The primary focus of the panel discussion was on the current education system and how to transform it to make it more relevant for the 21st-century world. The discussion highlighted challenges currently faced by young people related to school curriculum, classroom teaching methods and skills development.
Another interesting part of the program was a thematic skit staged by young people who are the YPEER members from the Faculty of Nursing and Public Health, Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan. The key message conveyed through the skit was that while academic excellence is important, those skills that are not acquired from the textbooks such as personal hobbies and special talents should also be given equal importance.
The Hon’ble Prime Minister in his keynote address reiterated the importance of investing wisely on education. He particularly called on the relevant agencies to make the TVET program more relevant and sustainable for young people so that the courses that are offered prepare young people well for employment. At the same time, he also advised young people to be responsible and positive. He reminded them of their responsibilities as the future leaders of Bhutan and how they should try to invest their time on positive development so that they can grow up to become productive and responsible adults.

In the afternoon, more then three hundreds of young people participated in various educational and recreational activities organized by youth-led groups. The finals of basketball tournament held as part of the event and the cultural competition amongst different youth groups were also held in the evening. Live music shows by young artistes, games by youth-led groups, food stalls by young entrepreneurs and many other fun activities were part of the celebration in the afternoon. It was a very engaging and insightful event. The entire program was coordinated with youth-led groups based in Thimphu and was supported by UNICEF.