KATHMANDU, Dec 30: Sending children to school or college and paying their fees may give parents a sense of reassurance, but experts warn that this alone is no longer sufficient. Parents and teachers are being urged to pay closer attention to students’ daily lives—including their routines, friendships, eating habits, behaviour and learning environment—amid growing concerns over declining memory, concentration and self-confidence among young learners.
In recent years, educators and mental health trainers have observed a rise in memory loss, poor concentration and low self-confidence among school and college students, often accompanied by fear and anxiety. In response, several schools have begun introducing mind management training to help students develop healthier lifestyles.
According to Acharya Swami Dhruv, around 70 percent of students suffer from a lack of concentration, 60 percent struggle to retain what they have learned, and 30 percent show a noticeable decline in memory power. He attributes these problems largely to imbalanced daily routines.
A large number of students recently participated in a mind management training programme conducted by Swami Dhruv at Pentagon School in Tinkune, Kathmandu. During the sessions, students shared concerns ranging from forgetting lessons and staying awake late at night to experiencing fear and anxiety linked to mental instability.
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Swami Dhruv said excessive use of technology has significantly disrupted students’ sleep patterns, worsening both their academic performance and emotional well-being. “You need to balance your daily life. You must get enough sleep,” he advised. “If sleep is sufficient, 90 percent of problems are resolved. Interact with teachers about what you do not understand and share your school or college experiences with your parents. This builds confidence and inner strength.”
He also cautioned parents against becoming complacent simply by paying school or college fees.
For more than two and a half decades, Swami Dhruv has conducted mind management training for students, bank employees, prison inmates and office staff. “So far, I have trained around 4,000 people,” he told Republica. “From direct interaction with students, five major problems stand out: late-night mobile and internet use disrupting sleep, daytime drowsiness, mental instability during study, difficulty recalling learned material, mental blankness while writing or speaking, and fear over even minor issues.”
He stressed that parents should spend more time with their children and understand their daily routines after school, adding that both families and schools must play a constructive role when problems arise.
Swami Dhruv also suggested making yoga and meditation mandatory in classrooms in both government and private schools. Incorporating these practices into the curriculum, he said, would help promote disciplined routines and healthier lifestyles among students.
Drawing on his interactions with nearly 5,000 students across 16 schools and colleges over the past 24 years, he noted that 70 percent lacked concentration, 60 percent forgot learned material while speaking or writing, and 50 percent suffered from sleep deprivation leading to excessive daytime sleepiness.
Pentagon School Principal SP Singh echoed similar concerns, warning that excessive mobile phone use and constant internet engagement are increasing the risks of poor concentration and depression among young people. “Not only at Pentagon, but across both government and private schools, most students are facing problems such as declining memory, irritability, frustration, withdrawal and difficulty recalling lessons,” he told Republica.
He said the school introduced mind management training after noticing students’ declining ability to retain lessons, adding that the programme would be continued regularly if results remain positive.
