Beijing, Jan 27 (NationPress) In 2025, more than 10,000 Tibetan students participated in the controversial "Tibet classes" across major Chinese cities, representing the largest annual enrollment since the inception of this initiative, as reported by the Education Bureau of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), based on the most recent data from the Chinese government.

Tibetan organizations and human rights advocates have condemned the program, asserting that it serves as a mechanism for political indoctrination and cultural assimilation. The report highlighted that 10,500 students from Tibetan areas enrolled in 'Tibet Classes' established in various educational institutions throughout China in 2025.

Chinese authorities hailed this enrollment figure as a significant milestone, revealing a growth in the number of specialized classes and institutions launched under this initiative. According to Phayul, a news platform focused on Tibet and Tibetans in exile, five new schools designated for 'Tibet Classes' were inaugurated in Chinese cities in 2025. Additionally, the establishment of 150 new junior middle school classes saw the enrollment of 2,000 students, while 4,500 students were admitted into 205 new senior middle school classes, and 4,000 students enrolled in 223 new middle-level vocational education classes.

The report indicated that the expansion of Tibet Classes, also known as Tibet Middle Schools, has notably increased since 2023, with a student enrollment growth of approximately 9.9 percent annually over the last three years. Chinese officials attributed this rapid expansion to a policy framework emphasizing "three increments, three coverages, and one standardisation," as detailed in the Phayul report.

The term "three coverages" signifies comprehensive implementation across all ethnic groups in Tibetan regions, including every remote county and border-town areas. Conversely, the "one standardisation" aims at aligning vocational education with job placement within middle-level vocational schools. Chinese officials assert that these policy objectives are being effectively realized on an annual basis.

The 'Tibet Class' system, first initiated in 1984, was justified by Beijing on grounds of educational underdevelopment and a lack of skilled professionals in Tibetan regions. However, Tibetan groups and rights advocates have persistently criticized this initiative as a strategy for political indoctrination and cultural assimilation.

As of 2025, official data disclosed that there are 129 Tibet Class schools operating in 23 provinces and 60 provincial-level cities across China, with 25,000 Tibetan students enrolled. Chinese authorities emphasized that around 180,000 Tibetan students have graduated from these schools and are now engaged in various sectors.