KATHMANDU, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The preparation of new school curriculum including yoga education is almost in the final stage, the Nepali Minister for Education, Science and Technology Giriraj Mani Pokharel said here on Friday.
Addressing the fifth International Yoga Day celebrations in Kathmandu, Pokharel said the government is revising the school curriculum to make it more practical and to contribute to public health.
"Considering the high importance, we include subjects like yoga, ayurveda, medicinal herbs and natural treatment in the school curriculum," Pokharel said.
The ministry is preparing to teach these subjects to students from Grade 8 to 12 and the subjects will be taught in a three-year diploma course under the Institute Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training.
Yoga, which has been gaining wide popularity in Nepal, is regarded as an invaluable gift as an ancient tradition and an essential element for a healthy and balanced life.
Since the United Nations recognized June 21 as the international Yoga Day in 2014, Nepal has also been celebrating this festival by organizing various programs and yoga sessions.
Addressing an event organized by Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in the capital, Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said that yoga and meditation are the solutions to fight growing anger and hatred in the world.
"People are suffering from greed, aggression and selfishness in today's world. To free from such negativity and to reach a balanced mental state, yoga and meditation are the solutions," the prime minister said.
Referring to the creation of yoga in the Himalayas thousands of years ago by sages, he said that Nepal can establish an international meditation center in the future.
The prime minister said that there is no place in the world can understand meditation better than the Himalayas due to its pristine and sacred water, air and environment.
On the occasion, a few hundred participants from different walks of life performed various yoga postures following the instruction of renowned Yoga gurus from Nepal. The demonstration included the common yoga protocol like neck bending, body stretching and several striking body postures.
Although there are no specific statistics, according to the instructors, most of the yoga followers in Nepal are women. They gather in local yoga centers and open spaces every morning for an hour and practice different postures.
Some have been suffering from various health problems such as gastritis, diabetes and other ailments, they regard yoga as a perfect medium to stay healthy.
