1. Coastlands Hotel – Durban, South Africa 22-24 November 2016
CSTL Sharing Meeting 2016
SCHOOL HEALTH AND NUTRITION POLICY
Mpheng Molapo
LESOTHO
Coastlands Hotel – Durban, South Africa
22-24 November 2016

2. Presentation Outline A description of the programme or policy
Achievements
Challenges
Opportunities/Emerging Issues
Key lessons learnt

3. Lesotho School Health and Nutrition Policy
Education aims;
to enable individuals to reach their full potential,
to create healthy educated individuals that can contribute to their nation’s development, their communities and their own well-being.
This requires not only increased enrolment but also increased attendance and ability to learn.
that learners must learn in a safe environment including from sexual abuse.
An unsafe environment characterized by violence (in all its forms) and bullying:
distracts children from learning while at school
acts as a powerful incentive for learners to drop out of school,
Leads to inability of learners to achieve success in their studies thus compromising and completely undermining the SDGs especially SDG 4.

4. Lesotho School Health and Nutrition Policy
Schools cannot achieve their primary mission of educating learners for lifelong learning and success if learners and staff are not physically, mentally and socially healthy. Comprehensive school health education is a critical component of coordinated school health programs.
MoET thus has a mandate to;
Promote and support provision of skills-based health education, health services, and a safe physical and psychosocial environment in both formal and non-formal education settings in order to improve education outcomes.
Strengthen multi-sectoral coordination, linkages and partnerships, joint planning, implementation among relevant ministries, communities and other stakeholders for school health and nutrition and referrals.
create a child friendly school environment that is healthy, tolerant, gender sensitive and respects children`s rights.

5. Why integrate health and well being into our education programs?
Healthy learners learn better and better educated learners have the knowledge and skills to be healthy
Education provides an ideal opportunity to reach large numbers of young people with correct and appropriate information about their health.
Schools provide a platform for targeted care and support interventions especially for vulnerable children and adolescents.
School attendance has been shown to reduce sexual risk behaviour as well as HIV incidence

6. Achievements
Development of the Lesotho School Health and Nutrition Policy
Development and implementation of Comprehensive sexuality Curriculum(CSE)(piloted in 70 Primary schools and 100 Secondary schools- Grade 8-10)
A Counselling, Psychological, and Social Services: Train teachers, Principals and school board members on the provision of psychosocial support, referral to services and alternative disciplinary measures other than corporal punishment.
Whole school approach: (The model that recognises the importance of the participation and consultation of all stakeholders and the school community) A module has been developed to engage the school community as active participants in learners’ education. The plan is to encourage collaboration with community members and use available resources and services to respond more effectively to the health-related needs of learners.
Enrolled 237 teachers, 50 Nurses and 40 Education Officers on Online Comprehensive Sexuality Education course.
Piloted Interactive Media, Peer Assistance and Coaching for Teens (IMPACT) project for mitigation against HIV and AIDS in selected schools.( Six high schools were selected working with Six Nursing schools) 953 learners were reached with CSE and SRH issues.
Dissemination and implementation of the National Minimum Standards and Implementation Guide for the provision of Adolescent-Friendly Health Services.

7. Strengthening links between Education and Health is critical to attaining the SDGs

8. Challenges No re-entry policy
Delays in finalization of school health policy and implementation plan
Lack of prioritization of school health in sector plans and budgets
Lack of capacity for implementation of School Health Programme at all levels
Weak leadership and ownership for School Health Programme

9. Opportunities/Emerging Issues
Strong collaboration between the Ministry of Education and Health and the UN partners.
Addressing gender and power issues also leads to better health outcomes
Implementation of ESA Ministerial Commitment through a joint work-plan
Capacity building will facilitate effective implementation and monitoring of school health programme

10. Key Lessons Learnt
Delivering high-quality comprehensive sexuality education requires training and support.
Engaging parents and communities in implementing the School Health policy
Strengthen collaboration between Ministries of Education and Health
Health education contributes by addressing factors that contribute to school drop out and gender disparities in education; HIV and AIDS – Early and unintended pregnancy – School related gender based violence – Bullying and discrimination in school settings – Lack of sanitary facilities for girl

11. Thank you from the Mountain Kingdom

12. Comments and Questions from the Floor & Other Panellists.