By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Dec. 6: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has prepared the Nepalbhasa textbook titled ‘Yen Dey Mhasike (Knowing Kathmandu)’ to be taught in the community and institutional/private schools under its jurisdiction. The book will be taught as a part of the local curriculum to students from grades 1 to 8.
According to Motiraj Khanal, education officer at KMC, the books will be implemented from the current academic year itself.
“We have drafted the curriculum and are distributing it to the schools. Once the total number of books required is finalised, we will call a tender, print the books and distribute it to the students,” Khanal informed, adding that the books for grade 1 had been prepared while the books for grade 2 to 8 were being designed.
“We had begun the process from April but the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown affected the work,” he added.
The books have been designed to familiarise the pupils with the local culture, customs, festivals, practices and heritage of Kathmandu. They are written in Nepalbhasa, the language of the native Newa community.
KMC has informed that the books are written in plain and simple language and the meaning of Nepalbhasa words and phrases are given in Nepali. It believes that the books will not be much difficult to study for non-Nepalbhasa speakers as well.
The metropolis hopes that the book will help schoolchildren learn about the city and connect to it from a young age.
Constitutionally, every local level of the country has the right to implement a subject as the local curriculum in community and private schools under its jurisdiction. Kathmandu Metro is the first local level of the valley to exercise this right.
The book will be taught as a mandatory subject to the over 260,000 students studying in 732 community and institutional schools of the city. It will carry a load of 100 marks, just as any other regular subject.