Why the Newar language is being taught again, and who is learning
Nepal Bhasa was once the language of the valley's courts and poetry. A revival in schools and online is reaching a generation that grew up without it.
The census counts speakers of more than a hundred languages. For Nepal Bhasa the count has held roughly steady while the valley's population has grown, which means its share has fallen. [1]
Municipal governments in the valley have added it to school timetables, and online classes draw learners from the diaspora.
Mother-tongue schooling
Global education research is consistent that children learn best in the language they speak at home, which is the argument revivalists have found most persuasive with parents. [2]
References
- 1.
National Population and Housing Census 2021: National Report. National Statistics Office, March 2023.
- 2.
Global Education Monitoring Report. UNESCO, 2024.
Cite this story
Dispatch Report (2024) ‘Why the Newar language is being taught again, and who is learning’, 24 November. Available at: https://thedispatchreport.com/article/why-the-newar-language-is-being-taught-again-and-who-is-learning (Accessed: 5 October 2026).
0 comments
Log in to join the discussion.
Create an account