Radhadevi Acharya of Daraithanti Bijaypur, Rampur Municipality-6, Palpa, has turned 82. She still has the same vigor and vitality.

She takes a bus to the senior citizen school on Wednesdays and Thursdays. ‘Where was there a school in our time?’ She said, ‘Even if there was, they rarely let their daughters go to school. Even though I am old, I have been learning a lot.’ She says that studying at the senior citizen school at this time is a different experience. 

Guruprasad Regmi, a senior citizen of Rampur Municipality-5, also goes to the senior citizen school every day. He has experienced that going to school is very convenient in his old age. ‘We have no problem spending our days on the banks of the Kaligandaki River,’ he said, ‘This new thinking has benefited all senior citizens.’ 

With a different thinking, Rampur Municipality has started operating the Rampur Senior Citizen School in Ramghat, Rampur Municipality-5, from 24 Mangsir. The main objective of the school is to exchange experience and knowledge as well as to respect senior citizens, said Rampur Municipality Mayor Raman Bahadur Thapa. According to him, a procedure has been formulated for operating the senior citizen school. The school has been run by allocating a budget according to the same procedure. ‘I have been going to the school from time to time to monitor how it is going,’ he said, ‘Everyone has responded that it is a good idea of ​​the municipality. This has also satisfied me.’ 

Senior citizens start coming to school after 10 am. Buses have been arranged for students from far away. Some take their elderly parents to school themselves. Since there is only one school bus, the routes have been varied. Most people come from the Kaligandaki Corridor Road area. On Monday and Tuesday, buses bring those living in wards 1 to 5 on the east side. Arrangements have been made to bring senior citizens from wards 5 to 10 on the west side on Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, buses are arranged for citizens of wards 4, 5, 6 and 7, said Suraj Gautam, secretary of the Rampur Senior Citizens School Board. 

‘We are no longer able to reach with just one bus,’ he said, ‘There are many who want to come daily.’ He said that he has already informed Mayor Thapa that only one bus will not reach. There are many who want to come to school. So far, more than 600 school identity cards have been distributed. More than 900 names have been registered, said the chairman of the board of directors, Buddhi Prakash Regmi. ‘We still have many who come in contact with us to study,’ he said.

After arriving at the school by 11 am, the senior citizens enjoy singing hymns for some time. A nurse has been arranged for the health check-up of the senior citizens. Apart from studying, they do therapy, sit in a massage chair, use a vibrator to energize the body, and do physical exercises for the back and waist. The school also provides various psychological counseling daily. Yoga exercises are also held. Pandit Praveen Acharya sits at the senior citizen school and gives lectures on various yoga, meditation, and religious topics. A health check-up is conducted by a doctor in the second week.

The municipality has also arranged daily lunch for those who come to school. 'There are many benefits to coming to school compared to staying at home,' said 73-year-old Chandra Dhakal of Rampur Municipality-5, 'I have planned to come daily as much as possible. I also want to come because I can learn a lot of knowledge after coming here.' A bus operated with the support of the municipality takes all senior citizens to their desired places in the evening. Those who live nearby also come on foot. 

In the current fiscal year, Rampur Municipality has allocated a budget of 3 million rupees for the school. From this, a sound system and other materials for physical exercise have been purchased. The school, which was built at a cost of 12 million rupees, has received support from the federal, provincial and local levels as well as locals. Krishna Prasad Aryal, the president of Senior Citizens Rampur, said that the school has helped senior citizens live an active life with respect and preserve their customs and culture. 

The school has various paintings as well as dhikis and millstones. ‘The goal is to develop it as a skill transfer center by keeping older materials,’ said Aryal. ‘This school was opened with the main objective of passing on the experience and knowledge of the older generation to the new generation.’ Chairman Aryal said that this school also provides an environment for the older generation to spend time with their children. 

Ward Chairman Durga Prasad Pokharel said that Rampur Municipality has run the school so that the older generation can pass on the skills, customs and culture they have learned along with traditional skills to the current generation. The board of directors has come up with a plan to buy yarn to spin lamps and manage leaves for duna-tapari. ‘Here, skilled workers will be made to do their free time,’ said Board of Directors Chairman Regmi. ‘Senior citizens will also be given a fair wage for this.’ 

Deputy Mayor Bal Kumari Thapa said that the municipality will be responsible for the sale and distribution of the materials produced by senior citizens while sitting in the school. The materials produced by senior citizens will be sold through the Deputy Mayor Koseli Ghar in Bejhad. She said that there is a plan to bring students from various schools to the senior citizen school on the last Saturday of every month as part of the plan to impart traditional skills and culture to the new generation from senior citizens and share their cooking experiences.