Padmai Ga-Tshal Choiling Secondary School serves the needs of children who come from some of the most vulnerable places—the northern villages of the Nepal Himalayas. These villages are situated in geographically challenging and isolated areas at high altitude (as high as 14,000 feet; around 4,000 m.). They are subject to climate extremes, and have no roads, electricity, running water, sanitation, telecommunication, health care or schools.

Khenpo Karchoe Rinpoche founded the main school, PGCS School, in 2014 near the Manichud in the Kathmandu valley of Nepal. It offers free education, housing, medical and dental care to hundreds of mountain kids.

Our kids are culturally and linguistically Tibetan, and their thinking is Buddhist. For centuries, the teachings of the Buddha have flourished without interruption in the Nepal Himalayas. We continue these teachings at our school.

On Rinpoche’s instruction, we encourage our graduates to continue their education in the fields of health and education so they can return to their villages and help their own people.

Padmai Ga-Tshal Choiling Secondary School is situated at Kageshwori Manohara-1, Kathmandu, Nepal. It was established in 2014 by our founding father Khenpo Karchoe Rinpoche. Starting with almost one hundred students. Now we have more than five hundred students .His sole purpose to establish school was to bring quality and equitable education among the under-privileged children of Himalayan regions. As rate of illiteracy was staggering high among that region thus Rinpoche always has been determined to eliminate illiteracy and bring knowledge and skills to them that will eventually help them to find their own place in the society. We provide free education, food, accommodation and clothing to our entire students. Our School also offers an inquiry based, child centered and academically rigorous curriculum that addresses the intellectual, social and emotional needs of each child. From Nursery to Grade 12 students follow the Primary Years Program where the values of the Learner Profile are at the center of the school’s mission to develop internationally minded students. Our goal is to develop young people who are open minded, caring, good communicators and ready to take responsibility for making a difference to the world around them. At school, pupils acquire knowledge and skills that will eventually help them to find their own place in the society. Pupils learn to recognize their strengths and to work together with others. All this takes place in an encouraging and safe environment with teachers supporting pupils as individuals and as a part of group. Our well trained teachers develop different learning environments in which the students can find the best way of learning for themselves.

About Founder

Khenpo Karchoe Rinpoche

Khenpo Karchoe was born in 1968 into a family of farmers and herders in a village nestled in the remote, peaceful Tsum Nubri Valley, with his parents Phagyel Tsen and Masri Tar. At the age of 15, while continuing the traditional livelihood of tending livestock and farming, he also began his studies under the guidance of his father. In 1986, at the age of 19, he joined the Namdroling Monastery in Southern India, under the spiritual guidance of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, His Holiness Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, His Holiness Jigme Phuntsok, and other prominent spiritual masters. He received numerous teachings, empowerments, and oral transmissions from these great masters. From 1989 to 1998, he entered the monastic debate school and studied for nine years, focusing on the sutras, tantras, and sciences. He engaged in deep practice and mastery of the foundational, intermediate, and advanced levels of learning. In 1999, he entered retreat under the guidance of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche at Namdroling Monastery.

Between 1999 and 2004, he engaged in further studies, including teachings on the path of liberation and profound practices of the mind. In 2005, he traveled to Taiwan under the blessings of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, where he gave Dharma teachings and offered teachings on the preliminary practices of Buddhism. From 2006 to 2016, he continued to serve in various capacities as a teacher and guide, offering teachings on various aspects of the Dharma, including teachings on the nature of mind, meditation, and liberation. He also taught extensively at Namlung Shedra, Namling Gon Monastery, and other Dharma centers.

In 2011, he helped oversee the construction of new facilities at the monastery and continued his leadership role in spiritual education. By 2014, he had established a harmonious environment for study and practice, and from 2014 to 2016, he contributed to various Dharma centers and teachings. His work focused on guiding students through both foundational and advanced teachings, emphasizing meditation, liberation, and the path of enlightenment. Today, Khenpo Karchoe continues to teach and guide over 200 students, nurturing the next generation of Buddhist practitioners.

Through his tireless contributions to the needy and underprivileged members of the community of Nubri regions, he has earned much more appreciation throughout the region. As he always aspired to eliminate illiteracy among the communities of Himalayan regions of Nepal. Therefore, in order to fulfill his vision, he has established Padmai Ga-Tshal Choiling Secondary School in Kathmandu, Nepal, to bring quality and equitable education to the underprivileged children of Himalaya region. Where more than five hundred students are receiving free quality education to opens a world of opportunities, making it possible for each of them to contribute to a progressive and healthy society. He has also founded Dharma center in Taipei, Taiwan, where he taught to his international students to gain deeper understanding about Buddhist teaching. Therefore, Khenpo Karchoe Rinpoche had spent his whole lifetime serving others tirelessly. His noble deeds has brought much more appreciation from different societies, monasteries and masters. Indeed, he had been regarded as one of the true practitioner of Buddhism and great master of twenty first century.

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