College Students’ Attitudes Towards Reading Dzongkha and Its Implications on Bhutan

Abstract

This study examined college students’ attitudes towards reading Dzongkha and the possible implications of the preferential choice of either English or Dzongkha as a language for reading may have on Bhutan. Using mixed-methods triangulation, the study examined college students’ attitudes toward reading Dzongkha. Data obtained from three data sources were merged and triangulated. Although the respondents showed a positive attitude towards reading Dzongkha, the majority of them, however, preferred English as a language for reading, which is deeply concerning for Bhutan. Based on the findings, the researchers have provided three recommendations, with the first being introducing additional but relevant Dzongkha modules for students pursuing higher degrees in English-medium colleges. Others include instituting mandatory DSTS test results for all opportunities and establishing Dzongkha medium preschools for preschoolers.

Yak Herding as the Main Source of Livelihood: Examining Challenges and Opportunities of Highlanders in Bhutan

“…These gewogs were selected because they were established as pasture-based villages, where conventional agricultural farming was not feasible due to extreme climatic conditions (Ura, 2002). With the emergence of better economic opportunities, the highlanders of Chhoekhor and Sephu are gradually shifting their livelihood dependency to Cordyceps (Cannon et al, 2009;Wangchuk et al, 2013;Wangchuk & Wangdi, 2015), with yak farming-now a secondary income source. However, the highlanders of Merak and Sakteng continue to embrace yak herding as their primary source of livelihood (Chand, 2017;Dorji et al, 2020;Wangdi & Norbu, 2018).…”

“…Of the total of 500198 hectares of registered pastureland in Bhutan, Merak and Sakteng share over 6%, and this provides a grazing area of over one hectare per yak (Wangdi & Norbu, 2018). Furthermore, if shrub cover, non-grazable space, and fodder grazed by wild animals are excluded, the actual grazable area may be less than half of this (Gyeltshen, 2010;Wangchuk et al, 2013). Most importantly, pastureland expansion has reached saturation, since both the gewogs share their pastureland border with Arunachal Pradesh in the north and east, while west and south with Phongmey, Radi, and Kangpara gewogs.…”

“…To address this situation, the government endorsed the Highland Development Program as one of the flagship programs for the 12th Five Year Plan (MoAF, 2017), including free distribution of high-quality breeding bulls and improving yak breeds through artificial insemination. The legalization of Cordyceps harvest by highlanders was one of the major interventions to elevate the livelihoods (Cannon et al 2009;Wangchuk et al, 2013). The government also recognized the yak herding households as the legitimate users of nationalized pastureland (Gyeltshen, 2010).…”