The meeting with the World Health Organization (WHO), held on 16th March, focused on the role of schools as central platforms for health promotion and education. WHO representatives presented their framework of Promote, Provide, and Protect, emphasizing that schools are powerful spaces to promote health awareness, provide opportunities for healthy practices, and protect students through safe and hygienic environments.
The discussions highlighted the integration of physical education, sports, dietary standards, and cleanliness into school programs, while also emphasizing mental health, life skills, and extracurricular activities as essential components of student development. The Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with all stakeholders to revamp school programs, ensuring that trained counselors and psychologists are available to support students and that extracurricular involvement is encouraged.
Overall, the meeting underscored a holistic approach to health in education, combining physical, mental, and social dimensions to create supportive environments for the next generation.
In attendance were Dr Rex Mpazanje, WHO representative, Dr Winnie Sham-Mane Country Preparedness and International Health Regulations Officer and Doreen Hotive, Health Promotion and Social Determinant Officer, who contributed to the discussions and reinforced the importance of coordinated efforts between WHO and the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development.
