In Nepal, local schools are encouraged to offer instruction in the first languages of their students. But even in linguistically diverse regions, the only words they still hear and read are in Nepali.
Over 100 languages are spoken in Nepal, a country of nearly 31 million people that is bordered by Tibet and India. Even though the country’s constitution recommends multilingual learning for students, most teaching is still in Nepali and students who don’t speak that language often struggle academically.