SUMMARY
Al Jisr Foundation has partnered with both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education for the implementation of Health Promoting Schools (HPS), an Initiative which provides a safe and health-promoting learning environment that enables students to increase their educational and practical achievements. This will help them acquire the skills and behaviors necessary to deal with living conditions and social integration. The Foundation will support the running of the initiative for two academic years 2019-2021.
BACKGROUND
The Health Promoting Schools Initiative in Oman was started as a part of the World Health Organization (WHO) global initiative in 2004 because health and education are inextricably linked and schools provide a setting that can be used to improve students’ health in addition to providing education. The initiative was designed to address many challenges, especially the unhealthy lifestyle emerging among school students. 19 out of 1,042 public schools were selected (1.8%) in the first year and by the end of the academic year 2017/2018 the total number of health promoting schools came up to 486 out of (1125) schools (43.2%).
OBJECTIVES
This initiative aims to create a healthier environment and lifestyle in schools and in society as well as supports improvements in students’ educational outcomes and promotes resilience by addressing school health in a planned, integrated and holistic way. The initiative also aims to refine students’ skills such as leadership, teamwork and creative thinking by focusing on behavior change and creating a partnership between the communities and school systems to ensure sustainability. Health Promoting Schools will benefit children, schools, parents, community groups and the whole nation.
The initiative will highlight seven different components that will develop students’ knowledge on the benefits of their wellbeing which will result in the adoption of health-promoting behaviors:
