A Daily Newspaper Report - Republica Report - Kathmandu 19 Aug 2013
“Hola,” says Nirdesh Bhandari, 18, greeting his teacher regularly at the Spanish class in Alta Vista, Putali Sadak.
“I’m applying to the United States and if I fortunately get there, Spanish language will be a plus point for getting jobs,” he mentions, indicating the cause for learning a foreign language.
In recent years, many institutes in Nepal have been observing a rise in the number of students keen in learning foreign languages. One of the major reasons for such rise is the hyped tendency of those departing for abroad, either for study or employment purposes. Many Nepali youngsters are allured by the high-quality education and job security provided in foreign countries. Therefore, to adjust to such foreign environment along with getting accustomed to the mode of communication, they seek to learn the native language of the place. As not every foreign country adopts English as its national language, every international traveler visiting such countries is encouraged to learn the foreign country’s national language.
Speaking about such necessity, Aarya Gaurav Shah, who is learning German from Goethe Zentrum Kathmandu, Thapathali, says, “I want to complete my undergraduate studies from Switzerland. Therefore, I’m required to learn German since it’s the language of instruction in many colleges there.”
Similarly, some youngsters learn foreign languages for communicating in larger audiences, as they are very inquisitive about other cultures. And by the grace of nature, they even have greater caliber of grasping foreign languages than the older population.
Akrish Adhikari, 18, who learnt basic Spanish from Alta Vista, says, “I learnt Spanish to talk to Argentineans.”
In recent times, the demand for languages in the market has diversified significantly. Unlike previous times when foreign educational and working destinations were very limited, people now tend to scatter themselves in different parts of the world. Russia, Belgium, China, Japan, and Korea have been top destinations for many Nepali youngsters. Therefore, languages such as Japanese, Korean, Chinese, German, and Russian have emerged in the market with good prospects.
In the meantime, when many youths consider foreign languages to be rhetorical tools for helping them to accommodate abroad, there have been evidences of youngsters using the alien languages for domestic use, too.
Nil Kantha Acharya, 22, is a trekking guide by profession and has fluency in French and Japanese. Speaking on the gains of learning two extra languages, he says, “Young trekking guides are usually not demanded, as they are considered to be inexperienced and are even paid less. However, after bagging two foreign languages in my testimonial, I’m paid a handsome amount and my demand is equivalent to that of experienced trekking guides.”
Similarly, professions such as waiters, employees at call centers, international businessmen and air hostesses receive huge boost when foreign language is incorporated in their professional skills. Moreover, foreign language expands one’s reach of audience by binding oneself to the international mass.
Observing such advantageous prospectus in one’s career through addition of foreign language, many colleges in Nepal already have introduced foreign languages in their subject courses.
One such college is National College, which has included the provision of learning a foreign language in its recently introduced courses of Bachelors of Social Science. Similarly, Ullens School has made the courses of French and Spanish compulsory for its students who take International Baccalaureate (IB). Likewise, Golden Gate College also has provision of Chinese Language for its Hotel Management students.
In Nepal, there is only one language college, Bishwa Bhasha that runs under Tribhuvan University. Considered as a trusted language school, it offers language courses in many languages, such as Nepali, Sanskrit, Newari, Tibetan, Italian, Russian, Spanish, French, German, English, Chinese, and Japanese. Speaking on such trusted trademark of the college, Campus Chief Bam Dev Adhikari says, “Our teachers are native speakers of the particular languages, so the students are guided properly.”
With increasing demands from keen learners, language institutes have emerged in an overwhelming number in Kathmandu. In such promising pool of language institutes, every student finds it difficult to make the right choice. There have been cases of some institutes being established for merely commercial gains, and rarely having experienced and qualified teachers. Such institutions not only waste the time and money of the learners but also put their future at stake. Therefore, students should be very vigilant when it comes to selecting the correct institute so that they can receive maximum benefits from learning an additional language.
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