The number of Tibetan students joining ‘Tibet classes’ in various Chinese cities has surged this year, reaching a new high and sparking worries about efforts to assimilate Tibet’s indigenous population. Official Chinese data, as reported by Tibetan Review, reveals that over 10,000 Tibetan students were admitted to these classes in major Chinese cities in 2025, marking the highest annual intake since the program’s inception. In 2025, approximately 2,000 Tibetan students were enrolled in junior middle school classes in China, with the total number of classes expanding to 150. Similarly, around 4,500 Tibetan students were enrolled in senior middle school classes, with the number of classes increasing to 205.
The enrollment figures also show that 4,000 Tibetan students were enrolled in middle vocational education schools in China, with the number of such classes rising to 223. Notably, the data highlights a substantial increase in specialized classes and institutions established under this initiative. Among the enrolled students, more than 3,000 are from the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), while about 800 students originate from Tsongon (Qinghai) Province, a significant area of the traditional Tibetan region of Amdo.
The report indicates that the enrollment in Tibet Classes gained momentum after 2023, with student numbers growing at an average annual rate of 9.9% over the past three years. Chinese authorities have termed this as a policy framework of “three increments, three coverages, and one standardization.” However, Tibetan organizations and rights groups have criticized the program, viewing it as a means of political indoctrination and cultural assimilation. The Tibet Class system was initially introduced in 1984, with Beijing citing limited educational progress and a scarcity of skilled personnel in Tibetan regions as reasons.
By 2025, 129 Tibet Class schools were operational in 23 provinces and 60 provincial-level cities in China, enrolling a total of 25,000 Tibetan students.
