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