PEMA TSHOMO
Thimphu
Educare Skill, Bhutan’s first online learning platform, is extending a special promotional offer to institutions across the country.
The initiative aims to provide free three-month access to their premium membership plan, granting users a comprehensive library of educational content designed to promote and teach Dzongkha, the national language of Bhutan.
Launched on February 21st, 2024, coinciding with the Birth Anniversary of His Majesty The King, Educare Skill offers a unique blend of entertainment and education through its interactive platform.
Currently geared towards children, the platform displayed a vast array of visually engaging content, including read-aloud video series, captivating animated series like “Dr. Carrot” and “Tales of Four Friends,” along with everyone’s favorite nursery rhymes featuring Nono and Daza.
Interactive gamified learning modules like “CHEYCHEY” provide a fun and engaging approach for children to explore foundational concepts like alphabets, colors, shapes, and more. Notably, all content is meticulously curated and presented in Dzongkha.
The company is also publishing an online Dzongkha movie and boos with English translation in the most prominent ways with the focus mostly on the women and behavior-shaping teaching.
“We are very pleased to offer this special promotional membership plan to you and all your colleagues, including your board members and advisory board, if applicable,” said Tharchen the Chief Executive Officer of Educare Skill.
The invitation extends to employees and their families, intending to encourage widespread adoption of the platform and foster a love for learning Dzongkha among Bhutan’s youth.
To access the free three-month premium membership, institutions are required to assist Educare Skill in coordinating sign-ups by providing a verified list of their employees. This list should include details such as names, identification numbers, work permit or passport number for foreign nationals, employee IDs, email addresses, and phone numbers.
While the current focus is on enriching the lives of Bhutanese children, Educare Skill has ambitious plans for the future. The platform intends to expand its content library to include professional programs and skill-oriented courses, catering to the needs of professionals and youth seeking to enhance their knowledge and competencies.
This aligns with the vision of His Majesty, as expressed in his 2021 National Day Royal Address: “We need to be prepared for the future so that every one of us is equipped with the skills, competencies, and experience to succeed and compete in the world. We must give utmost priority to skill, up-skill, and re-skill our people to make them world-ready.”
“Educare Skill is available on both Android and iOS devices, with a web-based platform accessible through any internet browser,” Tharchen said. “So, for Android users, the Educare Skill App can be downloaded directly from the Google Play Store. But iOS users can download the TestFlight app and follow the provided link to access the Educare Skill app.”
Additionally, Tharchen emphasized that we can update that content within a one-day timeframe.
With its free membership offer, Educare Skill is poised to make significant strides in promoting Dzongkha language learning and fostering a love of education amongst Bhutan’s younger generation. The platform’s focus on interactive and engaging content ensures that learning becomes an enjoyable and enriching experience for all.
Tharchen said the development of Dzongkha content for classes PP-six will prioritize key areas: language building, grammar, reading, and writing. He emphasized on their goal of creating a comprehensive curriculum that fosters effective communication at a child’s level, strengthening the national language from a young age rather than relying on foreign languages.
Based on recommendations, a focus on promoting active learning for Dzongkha development was identified as a key area for improvement. Tharchen said that people felt Bhutanese currently lack opportunities for active engagement.
In the initial phase, there is engaging content creation, which provides an opportunity for writers and content creators through the development of video, book, and audio resources. Additionally, the creation of an audio platform similar to Spotify is planned.
For the next phase, it has presented interactive learning that focuses on live elements, including live tutoring sessions and talks. Even a self-assessment section will be included.
The final phase aims to integrate game-based learning, creating a space where users can access live 1-on-1 tutoring sessions. Further, the recordings of these sessions will be made available for future reference on the website.This revised text clarifies the purpose of each phase and uses more concise language.
Tharchen said, “The Educare app has garnered 10,000 signups and 7,000 video downloads so far. Signing up is easy, requiring only an email address and phone number for convenient child access to learning.” As per him, the videos can even be watched offline. Moreover, they also leverage a reliable international hosting service like Amazon.
On May 14, it was announced that Educare would be offering media personnel the opportunity to compete for and win awards at an annual journalism awards ceremony. This program has been approved by the Bhutan Media Foundation (BMF) on behalf of the Journalist Association of Bhutan (JAB). This new initiative demonstrates Educare’s commitment to both improving the lives of children and supporting media professionals.
Initially, they faced challenges with user trust due to concerns about the app being a scam. This led to some people being hesitant to sign up. However, they’ve successfully overcome these obstacles and hope to rebuild trust through media outreach, addressing any confusion caused by similar scams.
