The Dzongkha Development Commission (DDC) conducted an awareness presentation on the importance of preserving and promoting the national language in Bumthang today.
The lecturers, staff and students of the Ugyen Wangchuk Environment and Forestry Institute in Bumthang attended the presentation.
DDC’s Secretary, Dasho Sherub Gyeltshen, said though English makes one skilful and competent, Dzongkha Rigzhung literatures render the true service to the nation.
However he said there are limited numbers of books published in Dzongkha which makes promotion of the language difficult.
“If we have to promote Dzongkha we need to read a lot, but the fact is there are varieties of books in English and hardly any in Dzongkha.”
Dasho said they are planning to provide three dictionaries to each student in the country.
DDC has already completed the works for the Dzongkha to Dzongkha and Dzongkha to English dictionaries and children electronic dictionaries.
The soft copies are ready. The commission will start distributing the dictionaries to schools as soon as they have budget in place.
DDC has completed presentations in 19 Dzongkhags and has plans to complete the rest of the relevant schools and institutes.
The Commission started this program on September 2010.