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 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 – Nutrition Reproductive & 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)

REPORT CONT’D

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