Yoga Mandatory for School-children in Nepal
Nepal is going to be one of the country in the world that will introduce Yoga as a weekly course in school. According to the Nepal government the weekly course will promote a healthy, active lifestyle in children. Though some people also claim that it will promote Hinduism in the country.
Yoga will soon be more than an extracurricular activity in Nepal. Next month, when the new academic term begins, this small Himalayan country will become the first in the world to make it a required subject nationwide.
When the new session will begin many elementary and junior high students will be enrolled in a weekly course on Yoga. Along with maths, science, the Nepali language and English, the revised curriculum will teach students about the history of yogic thought. Along with lessons on Yoga, Ayurveda the ancient medicine system and naturopathy, a kind of alternative medicine that promotes self-healing will also be taught.
Nepali officials in an interview with the media stated that only students in grades four to eight would be required to take the yoga class and they also said its focus is on promoting an active lifestyle. Older students can take the course as an elective.
Ganesh Bhattarai, the director of Nepal’s Curriculum Development Center, the government body that designed the class, in an interview with a leading daily said it was not meant to favour any particular religion. Chanting “Om” is not part of the course, and students can skip the sun salutation if they feel uncomfortable. He further added,“This course is for mass education“ and “Content against any religion is edited out.”
Nepal’s education minister, Giriraj Mani Pokhrel in an interview said, “Yoga is our ancient science,”. He added, “We want students to learn it, and we think this is the right time.”
Besides Yoga as a subject in school, a curriculum for three-year vocational course on Technical School Leaving Certificate in Yoga, Ayurveda and Naturopathy’ has also been designed. The subject will be taught under three-year diploma programme under the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training.
School yoga programs have become popular all around the world. In the United States, hundreds of public schools allot time for students to practice deep-breathing techniques and stress reduction exercises. In India, Nepal’s neighbour is a birthplace of yoga and Yoga is being practiced in some colleges and government schools. Now Yoga will be taught as a subject in schools in Nepal too.
