Sources told Central Tibetan Administration that the Chinese provincial government of Qinghai covered up the true reasons for the school’s closure by stating that the search and interrogation were conducted to determine if there were any monks or nuns under 18 and threatened severe punishment if they were found.

This closure of the Tibetan Vocational High School, run by the Snow Land Academy of Sciences, follows several similar closures of Tibetan private schools in recent years to terminate the preservation of Tibetan language and identity, including culture and religion, the website said.

Students and teachers of the school have expressed sadness over the incident.

A group of Sherab Norbu Ling School students has also been sued for using the jewel and lion emblems featured on the Tibetan National Flag, which the Chinese government has banned, as their group’s logo. The group is dedicated to preserving the Tibetan language, reported Central Tibetan Administration.

Jigme Gyaltsen, the school’s founder, has been wrongly accused of accepting bribes under the guise of being the chairman of the Snow Land Pastoral Association and the Qinghai-Tibet Trade Association.