Umakunda Rural Municipality of the district has started a new practice in the field of school education. Now, before classes start in all schools in the municipality, students have to do yoga-meditation compulsorily.

With the 'Learn Yoga, Teach Yoga' campaign, the rural municipality formally implemented the program by providing seven days of special training to teachers, health workers and public representatives.

The rural municipality has given yoga and meditation training to 30 people, including two from secondary schools, one from basic schools (grades 1-8), one from each ward's health institution, and one health worker and public representative.

Village chairman Sher Bahadur Sunuwar said that the aim is to expand yoga education to students, parents and the community through trained teachers.

'Yoga not only makes people healthy, it also increases the memory and concentration of students,' President Sunuwar said, 'You can focus on studies only if you are physically and mentally healthy, so yoga-meditation is mandatory before the start of classes.' The rural municipality has launched a plan to spread the importance of yoga in the community through health workers and mothers' groups. The yoga program started in

school has been welcomed by local parents. Rudra Kumar Jespucha, Principal of Chandeswari Secondary School located in Umakunda Rural Municipality-4, Preeti, said that this will help the students to be disciplined, healthy and mentally strong.