How has the right to education in Xizang continued to advance

(ECNS) -- Education is a fundamental human right and a key driver of development. In Xizang Autonomous Region, expanding access to quality education has become one of the most visible examples of progress in protecting people's rights.

In a commentary for China News Service, Li Wenjun, associate professor at the Human Rights Research Institute of Southwest University of Political Science and Law, said Xizang has undergone a historic transformation—from a region where more than 95 percent of the population was once illiterate to one with a modern education system covering all levels of schooling.

According to official data, Xizang had 3,618 schools and about 970,000 students by the end of 2024, with students accounting for more than one quarter of the region's population. Education, once inaccessible to many, has become a shared opportunity for people of all ethnic groups.

Li attributes this progress to sustained policy support and public investment. Between 2014 and 2024, more than 302 billion yuan (about 42 billion U.S. dollars) was invested in education in Xizang. The region has also established a 15-year publicly funded education system, helping ensure equal access to education from preschool through senior high school.

Efforts to promote educational equity have also continued. All 74 county-level areas have achieved balanced development in compulsory education, while educational assistance programs, teacher support initiatives and digital learning platforms have expanded quality educational resources to rural and border areas.

At the same time, Xizang is placing greater emphasis on improving educational quality. Better teacher training, curriculum reform, vocational education and higher education have enabled more young people to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to local development.

Li argues that Xizang's experience demonstrates that protecting the right to education requires more than legal guarantees. Long-term institutional support, sustained public investment and equitable allocation of educational resources are equally essential.

As more children gain access to quality education and more young people pursue higher education and professional training, education continues to open new opportunities for individual development while contributing to the region's long-term social and economic progress.