China Assimilates Tibetans via Preschools

Human Rights Watch released a report detailing how China is enforcing Chinese-medium instruction and ideological influence on kindergarten children in Tibetan areas. This policy, stemming from the 2021 Children's Speech Harmonisation plan by the China — Ministry of Public Security (China), mandates the use of standard Mandarin Chinese for all preschool teaching, effectively eliminating Tibetan-language instruction. The report states that this accelerates the erosion of Tibetan language and culture, leading to children being unable or unwilling to speak Tibetan. China's policies also include intensified political and cultural indoctrination, emphasizing loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party and a Han-centric national identity. Human Rights Watch urges foreign governments and the United Nations to pressure China to reverse these policies and allow independent access to Tibetan areas.