As part of the multi-language teaching programme, eight community schools in the VDC, dominated mainly by Magar households, have started teaching children enrolled in grade one in Magar Kham language from the current academic session. According to the DEO, as opposed to the presence of only 60 percent students last year, the schools in the VDC have witnessed 100 percent attendance following the introduction of the programme.

“Compared to previous years, the enrolment rate has increased by 40 percent since the adoption of the education method using native language and child-friendly education process,” claimed District Education Officer Mitramani Khanal.

According to headmaster, Devi Prakash Pun of Baraha Primary School, after adopting the teaching method, 101 children had enrolled in grade one as opposed to 61 last year. Likewise, headmaster Ram Bahadur Pun of Siddhachaur Higher Secondary School said that the method had facilitated the education process and helped encourage children to attend school.

Until last year, students never used to attend classes after lunch break.

However, with the introduction of the programme, the schools of the remote VDC have been rid of the problem, Pun said.   

Following the success of the programme, senior education officer Kul Bahadur Chaudhary of the United Mission to Nepal, which is assisting the DEO in the implementation of the programme, said that they intend to further extend the programme to other VDCs dominated by speakers of Magar Kham language from next year onwards.

Agreeing with Chaudhary, Khanal said that they will be extending the programme to 13 VDCs dominated mainly by households speaking the Magar Kham language.

 “The programme has also given a boost to our campaign which aims to increase the success rate of students during examinations,” Khanal said.      

Starting in 2007, the government introduced education on mother tongue in Tamang, Athpahariya, Dhut Magar, Santhali, Rajbansi, Uraw and Rana Tharu languages in seven schools from Rasuwa, Dhankuta, Palpa, Jhapa, Sunsari and Kanchanpur districts. The School Sector Reform Programme has also adopted education in mother tongue and has a plan to introduce it in 7,500 schools by the end of 2015.

Though the Department of Education has endorsed Multilingual Education Implementation Guidelines 2010, there has not been expected progress in expanding the programme as envisioned by SSRP.

Currently, few hundred schools from around two dozen districts are implementing education in 12 different languages.