A certain bug has persisted in the country’s private schools for the majority of this decade. Obnoxious plaques declaring the school as ‘English-Speaking Zone’ are plentiful in these institutions. Students are required to ‘speak in English and English only’.

Students who forget and utter a Nepali word or two within earshot of these teachers are usually in for a terribly long lecture that often is pointless most of the time. They are never actually told why they should be speaking in English and nothing else.

It is understandable that these schools might want to emphasize the perceived importance of practicing English; after all, it is a core subject in most of these institutions. All the same, I don’t think that is any reason to completely prohibit students from speaking in their mother tongues.

Nothing can negate the importance of Nepali itself -- after all, it is the dominant language in many homes,  often required language in governmental procedures, and it is what you speak when you are out buying vegetables. So why let Nepali take a backseat while verbally harassing children for not continually speaking in a language that they don’t need to use as often? The fact that they aren’t speaking it continually should already be a hint that they don’t need to use it as much.

In fact, language is an identity. Look at writers from all around the world — you will be sure to find a significant amount of dialect and their native languages in their works. It gives a country its own flavor, and it is reflective of our way of life and our history — things we surely do not want to lose to obsolescence.

And for the record, not fully embracing English is not putting our country at any sort of disadvantage. The last time I checked, the Chinese, Japanese and Koreans are doing just fine with their own languages. Not completely embracing English in their daily lives hasn’t prevented these countries from developing. Establishing schools as ‘English-Speaking Zones’ is quite silly and unnecessary, to be honest.

For the time being, it is best to stick to ideals that will actually help make our country a better place and maybe encourage children not to litter to enforce the idea of sustainability from a young age. All I’m saying is, give these little kids a break. Let them speak in the language of their choice, express themselves better.

Preserve our Nepalipan. Everything else will follow through naturally.