NATIONAL SCHOOL HEALTH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMME (SHEP) IN GHANA PRESENTATION AT 34TH SESSION OF THE SCN BY CYNTHIA BOSUMTWI-SAM

BACKGROUND OF SHEP 1964-Welfare unit school meals programme initiated by Ghana Education Service. Current SHN programme initiated out of 1990 World Conference on EFA (Jomtien). Feb/March 1991-School health survey conducted in 4 regions by health education unit of the MOH A joint programme initiated by Ministry of Education Science & Sports (MoESS) and the Ministry of Health (MoH), in 1992. MoESS given the lead role; MoH provides technical support.

POLICY GOALS Two out of Ten Policy Goals for Education Delivery in Ghana: “Promote and inculcate the values of good health and environmental sanitation in schools and institutions of higher learning” (Goal 4) “Identify and promote educational programmes that will assist in the prevention and management of HIV/AIDS” (Goal 9)

VISION OF SCHOOL HEALTH EDUCATION A well informed healthy school population equipped with life skills, to maintain healthy behaviour.

COMPONENT AREAS Skills-based health education Beneficiaries acquire knowledge and skills, through curricular and co-curricular activities to make informed choices for healthy living. School health services Health personnel, teachers and other stakeholders provide screening, deworming, counseling etc services

COMPONENT AREAS CONT’D Food and Nutrition Promotion of the use of iodised salt in schools Training for school food vendors in food hygiene and nutrition

COMPONENT AREAS CONT’D Water, Sanitation and environment Provision of potable water and water harvesting facilities, institutional latrines/toilets and hand washing facilities for schools. HIV/AIDS Preventive Education Targeting teachers, students and school community members (Parents and School Management Ctee members) School Health Policy

SCHOOL FEEDING PROGS. Two types of School Feeding Progs: a) Take home ration for girls in schools in deprived communities in the three regions. Provision of one hot nutritious meal to primary school children using locally grown foodstuffs (Ghana School Feeding Programme GSFP).

SCHOOL FEEDING PROGS. CONT’D Objectives of GSFP: -feed all primary school chn -increase sch attendance and performance -increase food production and demand Coverage: -Pilot in 10 schools (3,000 pupils) nationwide in 2005. -Currently 200 schools (63,000 pupils) being fed.

COLLABORATORS Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies Parent Teacher Associations / School Management Committees Development Partners –UNICEF, WHO, Danida, JICA, etc Non Governmental Organisations, Community Based Organisations, Faith Based Organisations etc

SHEP NATIONAL LEVEL LINKAGES Development Partners DANIDA, UNICEF, JICA,, WHO,WFP etc MOH – Nutrition Reproductive & Child Health, School Health, Health Promotion, Disease Control, Eye Care etc MLGRD Policy Planning & Management Unit MoESS SHEP Narcotics Control Board Road Safety Commission Red Cross Society MWRW&H CWSA NGOs CONIWAS, WVI, Plan Ghana etc.

NATIONAL COLLABORATION - HOW? (NATIONAL DEWORMING PROG.) GHS strategy to control anaemia in school age children; GES Operational Plan strategy. Target of 1st round: to deworm 4.5 million public basic school children. The 2 ministries set up a Task force to: - Identify responsibilities of stakeholders - develop materials - pilot deworming/baseline survey - train trainers and teachers - develop media strategy

LINKAGES WITH HIV/AIDS SECRETARIAT OF THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SCIENCE AND SPORTS Minister of Education,Sc & Sports Chief Director HIV/AIDS Secretariat 17 Agencies (GES, WAEC, NFED,etc) SHEP

DISTRICT LEVEL LINKAGES GES SHEP Coordinator DISTRICT ASSEMBLY District Water & Sanitation Team Environmental Health Assistants HIV/AIDS Focal Person GHS DISTRICT HEALTH MGT.TEAM Community Health Nurse NGOs

Head teacher, School-based Health Coordinator, Pupils Reps SCHOOL LEVEL LINKAGES School Health Committee Head teacher, School-based Health Coordinator, Pupils Reps Community Rep PTA Food Vendors SMC Health Worker

CHALLENGE Since there are so many players involved at the various levels, there is the need for efficient coordination.

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