Dear Esteemed Readers and Contributors,

Greetings!

We are delighted to announce the release of the Third quarterly edition of ELT Choutari (October-December 2024), dedicated as a special issue focusing on “Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education Policies Practices and Research Nepal.”

Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) in Nepal is grounded in the belief that students learn best in their native language, which enhances cognitive development and academic success. Introduced after Nepal’s democratic transition in 1990, MTB-MLE aims to preserve linguistic diversity while improving educational outcomes for children from various ethnic and language backgrounds. Despite strong policy frameworks supporting MTB-MLE, its implementation has faced challenges, including limited resources, teacher training, and community resistance. The policy’s success hinges on developing contextually appropriate teaching models and addressing the complex multilingual needs of Nepal’s classrooms, particularly in rural and marginalized areas.

This edition presents an exclusive interview with two renowned scholars—Professor Dr. Yogendra Prasad Yadava and Professor Dr. Ram Ashish Giri—as they explore the complexities of MTB-MLE (Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education) policies, practices, and research in Nepal. Delving into its multifaceted challenges and opportunities, their discussion illuminates the cultural, educational, and sociopolitical dynamics shaping language-in-education reforms in the region.

Professor Yadava highlights Nepal’s policy-practice disconnect in implementing Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB MLE). Despite constitutional guarantees for mother-tongue education, contradictory laws impede implementation. He identifies systemic challenges: underdeveloped policies, scarce resources, and lack of localized materials. Effective execution requires teacher training, community language awareness, and rigorous research to evaluate and refine programs. Yadava stresses collaborative partnerships with academic and civil institutions to align practical strategies with evidence-based research, ensuring policy coherence.

Professor Ram Ashish Giri discusses the cognitive, pedagogical, and linguistic challenges of Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) in Nepal. He emphasizes the importance of designing policies that reflect the country’s multilingual reality and align with local aspirations, advocating for the inclusion of English alongside native languages. Giri critiques the gaps between policy intentions and practical implementation, citing inadequate resources, teacher training, and community support.

Additionally, the issue includes three scholarly papers by devoted researchers from Australia and Nepal :

Naomi Fillmore’s paper explores the challenges and successes of incorporating Indigenous and minority languages into education systems globally. She examines initiatives in Nepal, Australia, the Philippines, and New Zealand, highlighting the importance of mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE). While these countries face similar issues like resource development and teacher training, each context offers unique approaches. Fillmore emphasizes the crucial role of community involvement, policy support, and culturally appropriate educational content.

Dr. Uma Nath Sharma discusses the integration of students’ mother tongues (MT) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education in Nepal, highlighting both the theoretical benefits and practical challenges. He emphasizes how MT enhances comprehension, cognitive development, and cultural identity, supported by theories like Cummins’ interdependence hypothesis. Despite these advantages, societal biases, teacher reluctance, and institutional pressures favoring English create obstacles. Sharma advocates for the use of translanguaging as a transformative pedagogical approach, allowing students to use their MT alongside English.

Dr. Bishnu Khadka presents the tension between Mother-Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) policies and English Medium Education (EME) practices in Nepal, focusing on equity and inclusion. Analyzing policy documents, reports, and field studies, Khadka identifies challenges such as inadequate resources, insufficient teacher training, and sociocultural biases favoring dominant languages. The study highlights the gap between policy intentions and grassroots realities, which limits marginalized communities’ access to quality education.

For your convenience, here are the hyperlinks to the articles:

1. Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education Policies, Practices and Research in Nepal by Professor Dr. Yogendra Prasad Yadava
2. Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education Policies, Practices and Research in Nepal by Professor Dr. Ram Ashish Giri
3. Global Perspectives on Indigenous Languages in Education: Commonalities, Challenges, and Reflections by Naomi Fillmore
4. Reflections on the Use of Students’ Mother Tongue in Nepalese EFL Classes by Uma Nath Sharma
5. Mother-Tongue or Other-Tongue Education? by Dr. Bishnu Kumar Khadka

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our co-editor, Dr. Nani Babu Ghimire, along with all our editors and reviewers—Jeevan Karki, Ganesh Kumar Bastola, Mohan Singh Saud, Sagar Poudel, Binod Duwadi, Puskar Chaudhary, Yadu Gnawali, and Dasharath Rai—for their unwavering dedication and invaluable contributions in bringing this issue to the readers.

ELT Choutari is a platform for researchers, scholars, educators, and practitioners to share insights, practices, and narratives from classrooms and communities. We invite you to contribute to our upcoming anniversary issue (January-March 2025) by submitting your articles and blogs to 2elt.choutari@gmail.com.

If you find value in the interviews, articles, and reflective pieces, please share them within your circles and feel free to leave your comments below each piece.

Happy Reading!

Thank you.

Dr. Jnanu Raj Paudel- Lead Editor of this issue

Dr. Nani Babu Ghimire- Co- Editor of this issue