MLE for the Rana Tharu

in Nepal

Prithvi Chaudhary

4th International Language and Education ConferenceBangkok, 6-8 November, 2013

Background of the Rana Tharu• Location

Kailali and Kanchanpur districts, Nepal

• Population250,000 (1% of total Nepal population)

Nepal

N

KanchanpurKailali

• Dress/Ornaments

They have their own cultural dress and ornaments.

• Profession/ Income

Farming

• Language – Rana Tharu• Language Use

Rana Tharu language widely used in different domains

• Language Attitude Very positive Love their language

• Limited Access to Other AreasVery little access to health, communication, etc, due to lack of awareness of education and right of education.

Educational issues among the Rana Tharu

• Formal EducationGovernment schools available but the

medium of instruction is in Nepali only

Only one MLE school in Rana Tharu area

• Non-Formal Education

• Literacy rate is low; most are women

• Nepali literacy class launched by

government, but low effect

Policy in Nepal

Policy for using mother tongue for 5 years primaryeducation in place

"Each community as a provision has theright to mother language basededucation."

Nepal's interim constitution, 2063 part 23's Fundamentalright's education and Cultural rights (section 17.1)

"Education can be given in motherlanguage up to the Primary Level."

Education Law 2028 (with correction 2063) section 7.2 (b)

Formal education

Non-formal education

• No written policy in adult non-formal education using mother tongue

• Non-formal education department approved a few non-Nepali primers in the past 8 years

• Mother tongue-based bilingual literacy program conducted in people groups such as Sampang Rai, Rajbanshi, Lhomi, etc.

Policy and implementation

• Policy of using the mother tongue in children’s formal education in place

• Non-written but positive attitude towards mother tongue-based bilingual adult literacy programs among non-Nepali speaking groups

Challenges in implementation• Lack of strategy to implement in local

levelNon-Formal Education (NFE):• Government is focused on Nepali-medium only• Mother tongue-based literacy is not included in

their plan.

Formal education• No strategy on how to implement MLE program

in government schools

• Lack of support for MLE from government

• Start the program in one school withlimited material and training

• No further funding for mother tonguematerial development

• No continuous training for teachers

Urgent needNon-formal education• Written policy for mother tongue-based

adult literacy• Support NGOs to implement programs

Formal school education• Long term planning from government level• Provide funding for MLE schools• Continuous training for MLE teachers

If it works well ….• Language and culture preserved

• Better quality education for children

• Literacy rate increased

• Quality of life improved

• Rana Tharu community well developed indifferent areas