The Tzu Chi Teachers' Association was established in Lumbini, Nepal,  birthplace of the Buddha. The association consists of school principals and teachers who aim to promote character education and environmental education on campus.

Responsibility of Education

The association was officially established on February 20 in Lumbini.  Khudabarga College President Ram Bali Yadav and Altaf Husen Khan,  principal of Siddhartha School, were the first two to join. Both principals and teachers are willing to join the Tzu Chi Teachers' Association and share the values of Tzu Chi's humanistic education. A total of 15 school principals from 11 schools witnessed this historic moment and look forward to more principals and teachers joining in the future.

Principal Altaf nervously accepted the uniform and said: "This uniform is not just a piece of cloth. It also symbolizes the responsibility bestowed upon me."

Altaf Husen Khan (in brown), principal of Siddhartha School, received the uniform of the Tzu Chi Teachers’ Association. (Photo by Cheah Chen Yee; Tzu Chi Office in Lumbini, Nepal; 2023/02/20) 

Teaching Jing Si Aphorisms

On December 17th 2022, a training program to teach Jing Si Aphorisms was held at Lumbini Buddhist University, in the hope that more schools will join Tzu Chi's humanistic education and make their campus a garden full of laughter.

A total of 59 education workers from Lumbini and Kapilvastu came together to discuss how to implement education of life, life skills, environment, and character.

Xu Hui-yi, a Tzu Chi volunteer from Malaysia, explained the purpose of promoting Jing Si Aphorisms: "The main goal is to change the attitude of children towards learning and life, and to bring Tzu Chi's humanistic education into schools."

The president of Khudabarga College, Ram Bali Yadav (in red), received the uniform of the Tzu Chi Teachers’ Association. (Photo by Cheah Chen Yee; Tzu Chi Office in Lumbini, Nepal; 2023/02/20) 

Farmers of Hearts

During the training course, President Ram Bali said: “I have become extremely impressed by the Jing Si Aphorisms. Today’s program has produced many changes in the teachers’ minds.”

Teacher Jedyshay said: "I want to join the Tzu Chi Teachers' Association because, as a teacher, I am a role model for my students. We are the model for society."

Principal Gitakana said: "Through this course, we learned how to teach children."

Volunteers led small groups to share and experience the course. In the hand-washing course, volunteers designed a game of seven steps of hand-washing and used a simple puzzle game to improve memory. (Photo provided by Aklesh Tharu ; Lumbini Buddhist University, Lumbini, Nepal; 2022/12/17) 

A Jing Si Aphorism says: “The human heart is like a plot of land; if good seeds are not sown, good fruits cannot be produced.”

The heart of a child is like a plot of land, and principals and teachers in Lumbini aspire to be like farmers who use their love and their hearts to nourish the life of every student, so that each can blossom like a flower.

Join Tzu Chi. Let us make the world a better place.

Story by Xie Qian-yi and Yong Mun Fei from Nepal