Teacher Development Centre
About Teacher Development Centre (TDC)
The Teacher Development Centre (TDC) focuses on the development and administration of well-designed and customised teacher training and educational programmes. A central focus of the TDC is to support teachers in internalising and implementing the Bhutan Baccalaureate Learning Process. To this end, it designs and conducts contextualised programmes that vary in content and duration, tailored to the specific needs of each cohort. The TDC is at the forefront of transitioning the Bhutan Baccalaureate into schools under Bhutan’s Ministry of Education and Skills Development and the Colleges of Education.
The TDC engages with teachers from Bhutan and abroad through enrichment programmes, including part-time and full-time courses. It works closely with the Department of Education, the University of Oxford, the Feuerstein Institute in Israel, Pallavan Learning Systems in India, and the Royal University of Bhutan’s Colleges of Education to design and offer programmes for trainee teachers, teacher graduates, principals, school leaders, Ministry of Education personnel, and faculty members from the Colleges of Education.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, the TDC developed the Bhutan Baccalaureate teacher appraisal system. It has also collaborated with Paro and Samtse Colleges of Education to infuse the Learning Process into their assessment modules, with plans for further integration across other modules. In addition to its programme development work, the TDC undertakes research and maintains active engagement with other educational institutions to enhance teacher quality and advance educational practice in Bhutan.
Workshops & Seminars
Summer Retreat, 20th - 28th July, 2019
Summer Retreat was developed by the Teacher Development Centre and focused on The Royal Academy’s Learning Philosophy, including the Five Areas of Development, Domain Areas, Skills, Processes and Watermarks. The participants included twenty teachers from the twenty Dzongkhags, four teachers from the Thromdes and seven teachers from The Royal Academy. In total, the Summer Retreat saw thirty-one teachers participate. The aim of the Summer Retreat was to catalyze change in the participants’ learning journey and further contribute to their school community upon their return.
Programmes for faculty of Wangbama Central School, March - April, 2021.
The programmes for the Faculty of Wangbama Central School were divided into two cohorts - 23 participants in the first cohort and 18 participants in the second cohort. The main focus of the programme was to introduce the concept of The Five Areas of Development to the faculty of Wangbama School. The programme for the first cohort took place from 25th March - 3rd April 2021 and the programme for the second cohort took place from 5th - 12th April 2021.
Immersion Programme for officials from MoE and BCSEA, 15-24 September, 2021
The Immersion Programme for the participants from the Ministry of Education and Bhutan Council for School Examination and Assessment was held from 15-24 September 2021. The programme aimed to provide the participants with an understanding of the Bhutan Baccalaureate and its components like the Learning Process, Five Areas of Development, Philosophy, Assessment, and more. A key aim of the programme was to also provide an understanding of the process of transitioning the Bhutan Baccalaureate in the 22 Schools.
Immersion Programme for faculty from the Colleges of Education, 19th January - 1st February 2022
The Immersion Programme for the participants from the Colleges of Education took place from 19th January to 1st February 2022. The programme aimed to provide the participants with an understanding of the Bhutan Baccalaureate and its components like the Learning Process, Five Areas of Development, Philosophy, Assessment and more. The programme provided a space for learning, where the faculty from the Colleges of Education, the Druk Gyalpo’s Institute and officials from the Ministry of Education worked together to contextualize the Bhutan Baccalaureate to their Institutional environment and developed a detailed Roadmap for transitioning to the Bhutan Baccalaureate.
The Bhutan Baccalaureate School Leadership Programme, 23rd - 27th January, 2023
The Bhutan Baccalaureate School Leadership Programme was organised
in Pangbisa, Paro from the 23rd to the 27th of January 2023. The programme was attended by Principals of the 22 schools transitioning the Bhutan Baccalaureate and 20 Dzongkhag Education Officers and 4 Thromde Education Officers.In preparation for the implementation of the Learning Process of the Bhutan Baccalaureate in the 22 schools from 2023, the Bhutan Baccalaureate School Leadership Programme was designed to help Principals, DEO/TEOs, Mentors, MoESD and Druk Gyalpo’s Institute develop clarity on their roles in implementing the Learning Process from 2023. The programme was an opportunity for the principals of the Bhutan Baccalaureate schools to learn from each other’s successes and challenges. The experiences shared by the principals on the transition programme also helped the Ministry of Education and Skills Development and Druk Gyalpo’s Institute enrich the content and process of delivery of the transition programmes in 2023.
Programme for Bhutan Baccalaureate Teacher Graduates, 5th - 7th July, 2023
The programme for Bhutan Baccalaureate Teacher Graduates was organised in Pangbisa by Druk Gyalpo’s Institute and the Ministry of Education and Skills Development from 5th to 7th July 2023. 56 teachers from 23 Bhutan Baccalaureate schools, who completed the Bhutan Baccalaureate Diploma Programme participated in this programme. The programme created space for the graduates to share their personal experiences and the schools’ journey in transitioning the Bhutan Baccalaureate. The experiences were used to review and update the Transition Programme from August to December 2023.
Summer Programme, 3rd - 17th July, 2024
From 3-17 July 2024, the Druk Gyalpo’s Institute hosted the 2nd DGI Summer Programme in its campus in Pangbisa, Paro, Bhutan. The programme brought together a total of 42 participants: two students from each of 20 Bhutan Baccalaureate schools catering to grades 9-12 and 2 participants from India. Guided by the Learning Process of the Bhutan Baccalaureate - an educational programme rooted in the wholistic development of learners across the Five Areas of Development (cerebral, emotional, physical, social, and spiritual) - the DGI Summer Programme aims to empower students to embark on their unique learning journeys and take ownership of their personal growth and development to actualise their innate potential. Through individual and collaborative inquiry, the Summer Programme helps learners develop a deeper understanding of the purpose of education and its broader impact on individuals, communities, and society as a whole.
Winter Immersion Programme I, January 5th - 15th, 2025
The Winter Immersion Programmes were developed by the Druk Gyalpo’s Institute to introduce the Bhutan Baccalaureate's Underpinning Philosophy and Learning Process to teachers new to Bhutan Baccalaureate Schools. From January 5th to 15th, 2025, the first cohort of the programme comprised 67 teachers from the Bhutan Baccalaureate Schools, along with Sonam Wangchuk, the Chief Dzongkhag Education Officer from Trongsa Dzongkhag (DEO), as well as Damber Singh Monger and Norbu Gyeltshen, two Education Monitoring Officers (EMOs) from the Ministry of Education & Skills Development. The programme offered participants an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the Learning Process, explore the implementation of various practices, and to learn from each other.
Winter Immersion Programme III, 4th - 14th February, 2025
The Winter Immersion Programmes were designed by the Druk Gyalpo’s Institute for the introduction of the Bhutan Baccalaureate Underpinning Philosophy and Learning Process to teachers new to the Bhutan Baccalaureate Schools. Between 4th and 14th February, a Third Cohort of 73 teachers from 16 Bhutan Baccalaureate Schools and 1 Education Monitoring Officer (EMO) attended the Third Winter Immersion Programme of 2025. 74 participants in total participated in the Third Cohort. The programme offered participants an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the Learning Process, explore the implementation of various practices, and to learn from each other.
Online workshop, 16th November - 7th December, 2020
The online workshop offered an overarching introduction to the concept of the Five Areas of Development and invited participants to reflect upon their own journeys. The online workshop was composed of twenty-two teachers from all twenty Dzongkhags. The workshop was designed to reignite an ongoing process of development in every participant, as they recognize and access their innate potential. Through the lens of the Five Areas of Development, the workshop aimed to help participants gain new insights into their personal development and potential that can catalyze further growth.
Immersion Programme for faculty of 22 schools, 30th June - 15th July, 2021
The two-week immersion programme (30th June - 15th July, 2021) for 22 principals and 44 teachers of 22 schools was the initial step in Transitioning the Bhutan Baccalaureate across the country. The main focus of the programme was to help the participants get an understanding of the Bhutan Baccalaureate and its components such as the Learning Process, the Five Areas of Development, Assessment and more. The programme helped to develop and strengthen relationships amongst participants from 22 schools and faculty from The Druk Gyalpo’s Institute. It laid the foundation for the process of Transitioning the Bhutan Baccalaureate to their respective schools.
Six month teacher training programme, 15th July - 15th December, 2021
A cohort of 66 teacher graduates from the Colleges of Education underwent a six-month-long (15th July - 15th December 2021) residential Post Graduate Diploma Programme at The Druk Gyalpo’s Institute, after which they were deployed on secondment for three years to the selected 22 schools assigned to them. The six-month Post Graduate Diploma Programme was developed for recent graduates of B.Ed programmes to further enrich their understanding of education by imbibing the Philosophy and Learning Process as envisioned in the Bhutan Baccalaureate system. This programme was designed as a full-time, intensive, residential course at The Druk Gyalpo’s Institute in Pangbisa, Paro.
Online Immersion programme, 16th - 29th March, 2022.
The Immersion Programme for the participants from the Colleges of Education, the Dzongkhag/Thromde Education Officers and a few officials from the Ministry of Education took place from 16th – 29th March 2022. The programme aimed to provide the participants with an understanding of the Bhutan Baccalaureate and its components like the Learning Process, Five Areas of Development, Philosophy, Assessment and more. The programme provided a space for learning, where the faculty from the Colleges of Education, the Dzongkhag/Thromde Education Officers, the Ministry of Education and the Druk Gyalpo’s Institute worked together to contextualize the Bhutan Baccalaureate in their respective environments.
Week long Immersion Programme for ECCD facilitators and focal DEOs, 4th - 10th June, 2023
The Immersion Programme for the 23 ECCD facilitators and focal DEOs was organized in Pangbisa, Paro from the 4th to the 10th June, 2023. During the programme, ECCD facilitators and their respective focal District Education Officers (DEOs) collaborated to create a comprehensive Roadmap for their respective centres. This Roadmap will serve as a comprehensive plan for each centre to outline their action plan and indicators of success to increase effectiveness and ensure a smooth transition to the Bhutan Baccalaureate. The collaborative effort of the facilitators and DEOs have resulted in a Roadmap that covers areas such as curriculum development, teacher training, parent involvement, infrastructure improvements, and monitoring and evaluation. Each Roadmap will act as a guiding document for the centres, facilitating their growth and learning journey.
Summer Programme, 9th - 17th July, 2023
The Summer Programme was offered at the Druk Gyalpo's Institute in Pangbisa from 9- 17 July 2023. Specifically targeting students in grades 9-12, the Summer Programme saw a total of 61 participants: 2-3 from each of the 19 Bhutan Baccalaureate schools catering to grades 9-12 and 5 students from 3 schools in India. Through reflections, meaningful discussions, and hands-on activities, the programme achieved its primary objectives of fostering a collaborative learning environment and promoting mutual understanding among participants on ‘The Role of Education and Learning and Making a Person of Substance’. Participants gained valuable insights into the purpose of education and its broader impact on individuals, communities, and society. The programme helped enrich their understanding of the Bhutan Baccalaureate Learning Process and its underpinning philosophy, equipping them with knowledge and experiences that they can share with peers and adults in their respective schools.
BB Principals & Coordinators Winter Programme , 22nd - 30th December, 2024
The Bhutan Baccalaureate winter programme was conducted from 22 - 30 December 2024. The main goals of the programme focused on: Ownership of the Bhutan Baccalaureate; Understanding of the Bhutan Baccalaureate Learning Process; Understanding of Assessment; Ownership of 35 Points Checklist; and Leadership. Through the sessions with the Curriculum Review Panel, guest speakers from the Ministry of Education and the Philosophers’ Retreat, the programme aimed to strengthen leadership capacities and continue to build on and strengthen the foundations of the Bhutan Baccalaureate Learning Process. Each school started by creating their own Roadmaps and calendars, co-creating the 35 Points Checklist and agreeing on what engagements they would like to focus on or support lead schools. All participants also reflected on their learnings from the sessions on the Motherboard.
Winter Immersion Programme II, January 19th - 29th, 2025
The Winter Immersion programmes were designed by the Druk Gyalpo’s Institute for the introduction of the Bhutan Baccalaureate Underpinning Philosophy and Learning Process to teachers new to the Bhutan Baccalaureate Schools. Between 19th and 29th January, a Second Cohort of 56 teachers from 23 Bhutan Baccalaureate Schools, 2 Chief Dzongkhag Education Officers (DEO) and 3 Education Monitoring Officers (EMO) attended the First Winter Immersion programme of 2025. The programme offered participants an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the Learning Process, explore the implementation of various practices, and to learn from each other.
