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The Tibet Autonomous Region enacted and implemented the Stipulations of the Tibet Autonomous Region for the Study, Use and Development of the Tibetan Language (For Trial Implementation) in 1987 and 1988 respectively.
The Fifth Session of the Seventh People's Congress of the Tibet Autonomous Region adopted several regulations in May 2002 on learning, using and developing Tibetan spoken and written language, the first legal document of its kind since the language came into being 1,300 years ago. It stipulates that Tibetan students in elementary and junior high schools must learn Tibetan language, while studying national common language. At meetings or in court, people in Tibet can freely choose to use Tibetan language or national common language. The regulations also encourage Han people and other ethnic minorities in Tibet to learn Tibetan language.
According to the rules for implementing these regulations, all documents of governments at all levels in the region should have both Tibetan and Chinese versions, and all important meetings should use Tibetan language and Chinese language at the same time. Legal issues involving Tibetans also use Tibetan language.
The Tibetan language is also adopted widely by mass media in Tibet, including advertising and other public facilities. The Tibetan government has adopted measures to cultivate teachers, editors, writers and Tibetan language workers. Officials of the autonomous region are also required to use English in addition to Tibetan.
In the Tibet Autonomous Region, primary schools mainly teach in Tibetan; while middle schools use both Tibetan and Chinese (depending on the situation); as do high schools. Tibet middle schools and Tibetan classes have also been established in inland provinces; and the Tibetan language is taught in middle schools.
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