Providing Essential Education
In Nepal, English proficiency is a requirement for higher education and an advantage for potential career mobility. English is the medium of instruction for science, engineering, medicine, and technical programs in Nepali private schools and universities. It's also quite necessary in order to participate in Nepal's strongest industries of tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing. Not knowing English limits higher education and career options for public school students.
In many Nepali public schools, instructors lack proficiency in the English language to be able to teach these subjects coherently. This, not surprisingly, causes issues in the proficiency and ability of students as they progress in the language. This problem is cyclical and reinforcing.
Textbooks, printed for government schools by the Nepali government itself, are riddled with grammatical errors and awkward phrasing. The School Leaving Certificate (the equivalent of a US GED), features questions like: “It’s been popular by now,” (SLC Questions, file W-RE-101, page 5) “We can have some good time together,” (SLC Questions, file W-RE-101, page 6) and “Would you get me some way out?” (SLC Questions, file FW-RE-101, page 5). These awkwardly phrased examples, unfortunately, are just the tip of the iceberg, and are examples of what “English fluency” is assumed to be in Nepal.
In many Nepali public schools, instructors lack proficiency in the English language to be able to teach these subjects coherently. This, not surprisingly, causes issues in the proficiency and ability of students as they progress in the language. This problem is cyclical and reinforcing.
Textbooks, printed for government schools by the Nepali government itself, are riddled with grammatical errors and awkward phrasing. The School Leaving Certificate (the equivalent of a US GED), features questions like: “It’s been popular by now,” (SLC Questions, file W-RE-101, page 5) “We can have some good time together,” (SLC Questions, file W-RE-101, page 6) and “Would you get me some way out?” (SLC Questions, file FW-RE-101, page 5). These awkwardly phrased examples, unfortunately, are just the tip of the iceberg, and are examples of what “English fluency” is assumed to be in Nepal.
With this type of understanding of the English language, Nepali people are barred from communicating at a high level of proficiency. This presents difficulties for Nepali students attempting to succeed in higher education and also deepens the language barrier for Nepali people who want to be competitive in the industries that provide economic growth.
By providing fluent English speakers in TTT partner schools, we hope to break the cycle of stagnated English education and serve as a support system for local teachers trying to better their English skills. While we know that placing teachers every ten weeks in isolated Himalayan schools will not fix the root of this issue (which runs deeply all the way up through the branches of the Nepali government’s education system) we hope to better understand the barriers Nepali public schools are faced with and be able to provide both education and inspiration to the motivated students who see English as a useful tool for their futures.
FAST FACTS:
- YOU GET: The ability to experience home in another culture & the adventure of a lifetime
- THEY GET: An inspiring English education from someone fluent in the language.
- It’s a WIN-WIN!
