The Basis for Integrating Local Knowledge into the School Curriculum for Tibetans in Southern Gansu

Abstract

The school curriculum in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Gannan) does not adequately consider the interests and needs of Tibetan students or the life options of those who fail to be chosen for a path to “legitimization.” Such a curriculum is not only incompatible with what should be the objectives and requirements for transmitting ethnic heritage through school education in minority areas, but is also a primary reason for the lack of motivation and learning difficulties among Tibetan students in Gannan. Tibetan local knowledge in Gannan originates in the natural, cultural, social, and environmental awareness and understanding of the Gannan Tibetans themselves. It effectively resolves the problems faced by Gannan Tibetans in terms of the natural and human environment, and has irreplaceable value and significance to the survival and development of the Tibetan people in Gannan. Integrating local knowledge, in an appropriate format, into the school curriculum is key to the success of Tibetan in-school education in Gannan.