Medium of Instruction Issue in Nepal

Issues in

Medium of Instruction
-Rebat Kumar Dhakal 28 Sept. 2010 Kathmandu University

• Medium of instruction as an issue
• Arguments for MT • Arguments for national / international language • How it has been addressed (SSRP)

Language is contentious, and the debate between national languages and mother tongues more so so. - MARK TURIN
As an issue

☯ Should local language or official language or international language be the medium of instruction (MOI)? ☯ Should we use language as a subject of study or an MOI? ☯ What is the appropriate level to shift from MT- NL-IL? ☯ When and for how long should the MT be used as an MOI and taught as a subject? d h bj ? ☯ When and how should English be introduced as a subject and as an MOI?
. . . .

☯ What about the right of ethnic minorities to have primary education in their own mother tongue?
.

☯ Sh ld it be th mother t Should b the th tongue of th majority of students f the j it f t d t whereby it would not be fair to some of the students whose mother tongue is different; or should it be g Nepali the lingua franca and the national language; or should it be English?

@)^% ;fnsf]] P]]g िशक्षा tyf v]n]ns''b ;DaGwL s]]xL g]]kfn P]]g ;++zf]]wg ug{ ag]sf] P]g -^_ bkmf & sf] pkbkmf -@_ sf] v08 -s_ sf] ;6\6f b]xfosf] v08 -s_ /flvPsf æcfwf/e"t tx;Ddsf /flvPsf] 5M æcfwf/et tx;Ddsf] िशक्षा dft efiffdf lbg ;lsg5 . (k]h #) dft[ ;lsg]5 (kh A trilingual model for Nepali primary education: 1. Mother tongue

2. Nepali as the national or second language of education 3. English as the international language.

Why Mother Tongue ? It promotes access, equity, self-esteem, faster acquisition of basic literacy and contributes to higher academic achievement (CDC 2005, p.11) achievement. (CDC. 2005 11) There are significant human and linguistic resources in the regions that can be built upon to support mother tongue as MOI throughout primary schooling and teacher training.

Why International Language ?

Can C MT...