NATIONAL SCHOOL HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMME (SHEP)

IN GHANA

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.

BACKGROUND OF SHEP CONT’D

The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment (MLGRDE) through the Environmental Health Officers has responsibility for inspection of premises and certification of food vendors.

Other Ministries, Departments and Agencies and stakeholders contribute to school health education in Ghana.

POLICY GOALS

Two out of Ten Policy Goals for Education Delivery in Ghana are directly related to the implementation of school health interventions:

“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.

COMPONENT AREAS CONT’’D

School Sanitation & Hygiene Education Disease control:

– Diarrhoea– Deworming: Intestinal, Guinea worm, Bilharzias and

others – STIs, HIV & AIDS – Malaria

Food & Nutrition Substance & Drug abuse (Road) Safety & Security First Aid, Physical Education etc.

COLLABORATORS

Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies

Parent Teacher Associations / School Management Committees

Development Partners –UNICEF, Danida, WHO, JICA, etc

Non Governmental Organisations, Community Based Organisations, Faith Based Organisations etc

SHEP NATIONAL LEVEL LINKAGES

MoESS

SHEP

MLGRD

Policy Planning & Management Unit

MWRW&H

CWSA

Development Partners

DANIDA, UNICEF, JICA,, WHO,WFP etc

NGOs

CONIWAS, WVI, Plan Ghana etc.

MOH – NutritionReproductive & Child Health, School Health, Health Promotion,Disease Control,Eye Care etc

•Narcotics Control Board•Road Safety Commission•Red Cross Society

SSHE ACTIVITIES

Encourage access to safe water in schools Provide latrines & Hand-Washing facilities Form and train School Health Committees in user

education, operation & maintenance of facilities Support training of Food Vendors Provide Capacity building for School Health

Coordinators Develop Monitoring & Supervision system and provide

training Support training of School Health Committees

SSHE ACTIVITIES CONT’D

Produce IE&C materials for school children Produce Teaching aids & manuals Support Hygiene education & promotion

campaigns for & with school children (PPPHW)

Encourage Formation of School Health Clubs

Competition & Quiz with school children

DISTRICT LEVEL LINKAGES

GES SHEP

Coordinator

GHS

DISTRICT HEALTH MGT.TEAM

Community Health Nurse

DISTRICT ASSEMBLY

•District Water & Sanitation Team

•Environmental Health Assistants

•HIV/AIDS Focal Person

NGOs

SCHOOL LEVEL LINKAGES

PTA

SMC Health

Worker

Food Vendors

Community Rep

Head teacher, School-based Health Coordinator,

Pupils Reps

School Health Committee

EXTRACT FROM REPORT ON VALUE FOR MONEY AUDIT (July 2007)

94.1

96.1

93

93.5

94

94.5

95

95.5

96

96.5

% o

f S

ch

oo

ls

Learn about hygiene Mention 2 things in hygiene

Hygiene Knowledge

REPORT CONT’D

82.4 82.4

54.9

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

% o

f S

cho

ols

Uses soap on bothhands

Rubs both hands Washes hand underrunning water

Demonstration of Hand Washing

REPORT CONT’D

48

40

6858

40

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

% o

f S

cho

ols

Soap A

vaila

bleW

ater &

soap

Hand wash

ing fa

cility

Recepta

cle f

or drin

king w

ater

Tap fi

tted o

n drih

king c

ontain

er

Hygiene Facilities

MATERIALS

Sanitation and Hygiene Manual has been revised.

IE& C materials on sanitation and hygiene have been developed.

School Health Guidelines have been jointly developed with GHS- it spells out roles and responsibilities of the various Govt actors

CHALLENGES

Vandalisation of institutional latrines Construction Defects in latrines NGOs working directly in districts/schools Inadequate funding for SHEP activities Competing demands for capitation grant Lack of support by some school communities Lack of sanitation facilities in some schools

THANK YOU