1

Supporting Literacy Through Mother Tongue Education in Nepal

Presenters: Mr. Tap Raj Pant, National Programme Officer, Education Unit, UNESCO Kathmandu (Nepal)Ms. Roselynn Verwoord, Educator, Education Unit, UNESCO Kathmandu (Nepal)

A presentation for the 2011 Global Education Conference, November 16th, 2011

Map of Nepal with MTE literacy programme sites

3

Presentation PurposeBy the end of this presentation

you will be able to:- Identify the value of mother-tongue education programs for supporting literacy in Nepal. - Consider how mother-tongue education can be harnessed to support literacy development in your context.

4

Presentation OutlineIntroductionsOverview: UNESCO Kathmandu; Education

Unit; Literacy WorkBackground: Illiteracy in Nepal

◦ Social and Cultural Context◦ Illiteracy Rates

Development of Mother tongue education programs for Nepali women◦ Dhanusha District (Maithili)◦ Rupandehi District (Awadhi)

Policy and Program ImplicationsQuestions, Comments, Closure

5

Overview: UNESCO KathmanduEstablished: 1998Key areas: Education, Sciences, Culture,

Communication and InformationAreas of focus: Strategy and policy

development; programme delivery; advocacy

Mission Statement: building peace, alleviating poverty, and fostering sustainable development and intercultural dialogue in Nepal through education, science, culture, communication and information.

6

Overview: UNESCO Kathmandu Education UnitPrimary focus: Education for All

(EFA); literacy and teacher training; strengthening the education system; planning and managing education

Key partners: Ministry of Education and its relevant institutions; UN agencies; INGOs; NGOs; EFA development partners

7

Background: UNESCO Kathmandu and IlliteracyBuild capacity of education officials to improve

literacy for sustainable development: ◦ Designing and implementing mother tongue-based

literacy programmes ◦ Supporting community learning centres (CLCs) as

venues for community development and for non-formal education through training of CLC managers and facilitators. 

Provide policy support:◦ Preparation and implementation of Nepal’s “10-Year

Literacy Policy and Programme Framework 2006”Relevant Frameworks: UN Literacy Decade

2003-2012; Literacy Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE)

8

Background: Nepal’s Social and Cultural ContextCaste system: Structure along hierarchical

levels –More than 101 castes and ethnic groups identified in Census 2001

Cultural and societal influences: Individual and societal beliefs about who should have access to education in ancient time still influences most disadvantaged and deprived population groups.

Linguistic diversity – More than 92 languages spoken in Nepal; Over 50% population speak other languages than Nepali, the medium of instruction, effecting the quality of teaching learning.

9

Background: Illiteracy RatesCurrent illiteracy rate: 7.6 million, of whom

5.1 are women (42% of adults; 29% men versus 55% women) in 2008 as estimated by EFA Global Monitoring Report 2011

Huge disparity in literacy: by gender, location, caste and ethnicity and income.

Highest literacy gap: Caste and Ethnicity – Census 2001 showed only 3.7 % Mushar (men 6% and women 1.3%) being literate, the highest being Jaine at 94.4% (men 96.4% and women 92%); A gap of more than 90 percentage points.

10

Background: Illiteracy Rates ... Highest literacy gap: Location - Census 2001 found Humla

with lowest literacy rates, 19.6% (men 33% versus women only 4.8%) and Kathmandu with highest, 73.5% (men 84.9% and women 60.1%); A gap of more than 53 percentage points.

Highest literacy gap: Income – NLSS II (2003-04) showed 72.3% (men 86.8% and women 59.1%) literacy rates for highest and only 23.1% (men 36.7% and women only 11.6%) for lowest income quintile; A gap of more than 49 percentage points.

Highest literacy gap: Gender – Findings from NLSS III (2010-2011) revealed 56.5% adults as literate, with men 71.6% versus women only 44.5%; A difference of more than 27 percentage points.

11

Purpose of MTE Literacy ProgramsPromote literacy rates of minority

language speakersProvide literacy in mother tongue

Develop mother tongue based

literacy materialsSupport to develop innovative

ways in contextualizing contents, methods of teaching and learning and assessment

12

Timeline for Development of MTE Literacy ProgramsMother tongue based literacy

programmes implemented in two years of time including project site selection, materials development and testing, Basic and post literacy programme conduction and Income generation training etc.

2008-2009: Literacy programme implemented in Tharu, Khas and Nepali language

2010-2011: programme implemented in Maithili and Awadhi language

13

MTE Program: Dhanusha District (Maithili)- Period: 2010- 2011 682 learners ( women) 538 DALIT = 79% 30 Learning Classes ( literacy

centers) 30 Facilitators (all women) - 3 Primers were developed: 2 Basic

and 1 Post-Literacy

14

MTE Program: Rupandehi District (Awadhi)

Period : 2010-2011

- 500 Learners (100 Tri-Lingual) 25 Learning Classes 25 Facilitators 18 Females 7 Males- 3 Primers were developed: 2 Basic and 1

Post-Literacy

15

Impact of MTE Literacy Programs NFE Learning Materials and Use

of Mother Tongue as the Language of Instruction.

Quality of Instructions and Competency Requirements are essential for NFE services

NEPAL NFE Curriculum Framework

NFE Infrastructure SupportNFE Monitoring and Evaluation

16

RecommendationsRevisit, review the learning materials

developed to improve QUALITY that enhances and strengthens learning processes that contribute to active learning and learning outcomes;

Nepal’s NFE Curriculum Framework must provide direction and guidance in any instructional materials development work;

Need for continuing efforts to support the enhancement of skills and competencies of its NFE human resources and institutional systems

17

RecommendationsNFE Learning Centers is a major

concern, for NFE delivery systems.

Continuous M & E can improve NFE operations, performance and delivery of services and activities;

18

Next Steps: UNESCO KathmanduCapacity assessment of Non Formal

education sub-sector in Nepal Provide continuous support to MOE to

extend MTE literacy programmes in other languages

Capacity building at all levels for effective implementation of NFE/Literacy programme

Strengthening EMIS including NFE MISUndertake research and assessment for

evidence based policy advice

19

Questions, Comments, DiscussionHow can MTE literacy programme be

scaled up in different settings?How to build partnership and

mobilize resources for the effective MTE literacy programme?

What further support/programmes can be provided to people with basic literacy skills?

What can be sustainable structures of NFE/literacy programmes?

20

Relevant LinksUNESCO Kathmandu Office

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/kathmandu/

UNESCO http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/

21

Contact InformationMr. Tap Raj PantNational Programme OfficerEducation UnitUNESCO Kathmandu (Nepal)E-mail: tr.pant@unesco.orgPhone: 00-977-1-5554396Website: www.unesco

Ms. Roselynn VerwoordEducatorEducation UnitUNESCO Kathmandu (Nepal)E-mail: rverwoor@uvic.caPhone: 00-977-1-5554396