Number of students taking up Hindi subject drastically decreasing in Fiji

The number of students taking up the Hindi language as a subject to study is drastically decreasing in schools in the country.

According to the Ministry of Education, 969 students took Hindi in Year 10 in 2015 while only 20 students took Hindi in Year 13 last year.

Speaking at the Regional Hindi Conference at the Grand Pacific Hotel, Hindi lecturer at the University of the South Pacific, Rajendra Prasad said there are many students who are giving up the subject right from year one.

He says when he asked students why they did not choose Hindi as a subject to study, he was told that they believe that the field does not have enough job opportunities, the subject is too difficult, classes are not interesting, their parents do not want them to study the language, teachers told them to take up other subjects instead and the teachers themselves do not know Hindi.

Hindi language scholar, Nemani Bainivalu says to encourage students to learn the language, a simpler from of Hindi should be taught in schools.

He also says that there are literature and teaching material available with the Indian High Commission and it should be utilized instead of the difficult learning materials in schools.

He also says that conversational Hindi should be taught in predominantly I-Taukei shcools while proper Hindi can be taught in predominantly Indo-Fijian schools.

Pundit Bhuwan Dutt from the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji says that students need to be asked about what they want to learn in class to learn the language.

He adds that there is a need for specialist teachers in schools and simplified Hindi education material for students to study.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has made it clear that the government is not and will not force any Hindu organisation-run school to teach Fiji Hindi to their students.

 Hindu organizations like Sanatan Dharam Pratinidhi Sabha and TISI Sangam have told the media that they will oppose moves by the government for conversational Fiji Hindi to be taught in schools because it is a broken language.

 However, Bainimarama stressed to Fijivillage that as the head of the government, he wants to make it clear that these schools will not be forced into doing this.

 Bainimarama says the school is owned by these organisations so they can teach whatever Hindi they prefer.

 The Prime Minister says that he also agrees they should teach formal Hindi even if they speak Fiji Hindi.