There was an increase in stress, anxiety and other mental health problems, while an estimated 365 million primary school students went without school meals, according to the World Health Organization (Who is the) and the specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with education issues, UNESCO.
Building on a set of eight global standards, Global Standards for Health Promoting Schools, all classrooms call for the promotion of life skills, cognitive, social and emotional skills, and healthy lifestyles for learners.
“These newly launched global standards are designed to create schools that nurture education and health, equipping students with knowledge and skills for their future health and well-being, employability and life prospects,” He said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Connecting schools and health
Clear evidence shows that comprehensive health and nutrition programs in schools have significant impacts on students.
“Schools play a vital role in the well-being of students, families and their communities, and the link between education and health has never been clearer,” Tedros added.
The new standards, which will be piloted in Botswana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya and Paraguay, will contribute to the World Health Organization’s goal of making billion people Healthier by 2023 and globally Education 2030 Agenda It is coordinated by UNESCO.
“Education and health are fundamental and interrelated human rights for all, the core of any human right, and essential for social and economic development,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoli.
case making
School health and nutrition interventions in low-income areas where barriers such as helminths or anemia are prevalent can lead to 2.5 years of additional education, according to UN agencies.
Furthermore, malaria prevention interventions can reduce absenteeism by 62 percent; Nutritious school meals increased enrollment rates by nine percent and attendance by eight percent, on average; Free screening and eyeglasses increased students’ likelihood of passing standardized reading and math tests by five percent.
Promoting hand washing has reduced gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses by between 21 and 61 percent in low-income countries, resulting in fewer absentees.
“A school that does not promote health is no longer acceptable and justified,” Ms. Azouly said.
Health promotion in schools
The World Health Organization and UNESCO said comprehensive sexuality education encourages healthy behavior, promotes sexual and reproductive health and rights, and improves outcomes such as reducing HIV infection and teenage pregnancy.
The health-promoting school is no longer acceptable and justified. Head of UNESCO
By strengthening school water supply and sanitation (WASH) services, as well as education about menstrual hygiene, girls can maintain their dignity and may miss less school during menstruation.
“I call on all of us to affirm our commitment and our role, to make every school a health promotion school,” stressed the UNESCO Secretary-General.
Raising standards
The Health Promoting Schools The approach has been introduced by the World Health Organization, UNESCO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) was founded in 1995 and has been adopted in more than 90 countries and regions.
However, only a few countries have implemented it on a large scale, and even fewer have effectively adapted their education systems to include health promotion.
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