AN IMPORTANT CHANGE TO THE SCHOOL

The government of India has recently stipulated that all monasteries in India are now entitled to award degrees to their monks. With this new development, all Sakya monks are now given the chance to earn a degree in their respective monasteries. Up until now, our Academy had been the only Sakya monastery to offer an accredited secular education to its monks, while remaining a traditional Buddhist monastery.

What this change means is that it is no longer necessary for our school to continue being a fully traditional Buddhist monastery.

These new circumstances have led us to consider a new role for Sakya Academy. After much deliberation and consultation with His Holiness Trichen Rinpoche, we have decided for our school to change its status from monastery to lay school. Having said this, our school’s mission will continue to be based upon the Buddhist values of loving kindness and compassion, and its core aim will be to shape our students into kind-hearted and responsible human beings. One effect of this change is that in 2022, the children began to wear normal school uniforms instead of monks’ robes. On the other hand, as Buddhist teachings and practice will keep their pivotal role in their education, they will wear monks’ robes during their religious activities.

We feel that as a lay institution, the school will attract many more students, who will in turn be able to benefit society and help make the world a better place.

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