Chinese authorities implement new restrictions on Tibetan children during winter break

Chinese authorities have enforced new measures that severely limit Tibetan children’s cultural and religious freedoms as Tibetans usher in the winter school break, according to a report by Radio Free Asia.

RFA reported that these restrictions, which began on December 30, aim to curb the use of the Tibetan language and reduce participation in religious practices.

One key element of the new policy is the prohibition of private Tibetan-language lessons. Students across Tibet, including in the capital Lhasa, are now barred from engaging in any extracurricular Tibetan education during the two-month winter break. Instead, authorities are mandating that children focus on improving their Mandarin skills, with lessons centred on Chinese political education and state-approved content.

In several regions, including Dzoge (Zoige) and Ngaba (Aba) counties in Sichuan province, local authorities have further prohibited children from wearing religious symbols and restricted their involvement in religious activities. This includes a ban on families taking children to monasteries or allowing them to participate in any religious ceremonies, RFA reported.

The new measures are part of a broader campaign to undermine Tibetan culture and promote assimilation into Han Chinese culture.

Authorities are particularly concerned with eradicating the use of the Tibetan language, which they view as a barrier to achieving full integration. Tibetan students are now only allowed to engage in academic activities that follow the Chinese government’s curriculum, which heavily emphasises political indoctrination.

According to RFA, Reports from various Tibetan regions, including Golog (Guoluo) in Qinghai province and Kardze in Sichuan, indicate that these policies are being strictly enforced. Random checks have been conducted in residential areas and commercial establishments to ensure compliance, with authorities monitoring students closely for involvement in unauthorised private lessons or religious activities.

These latest measures are seen as part of an ongoing effort by Beijing to erase Tibetan identity and further integrate Tibet into China’s political and cultural framework.