From pastures to passes

Tsomo is the eldest among the four children. Since she was a little girl, she was interested in watching the vet treating yaks and sheep.

Her father works in Nagchu county and all the animals are tended by her mother.

"The farm work is really hard for my mother. I hope I can help her after I complete my study in college," she says.

She says her parents asked her to do her best with her course since they don't have to bear the economic burden thanks to the free education policy. They hope that their daughter can go to a city instead of staying on the plateau.

Tsomo has learned a lot about city life through the internet, which she accesses with her cellphone. She has never had the chance to leave Nagchu city and is curious about cities outside the region.

Because of her hard work, Tsomo gets good marks in her classes and it is possible for her to go to South China's Guangzhou province to further her study, according to vice-president Nyima Tsering.

"The government keeps investing heavily in education in the region. I think in the future, the gap between our students and those in cities outside Tibet will become smaller," he says, adding that many of his students are shy and lack self-confidence. He says the situation will change with more families availing themselves of education.