All You Need To About School Health Education Programme (SHEP) Unit
The School Health Education Programme (SHEP) Unit of the Ghana Education Service (GES) was incepted after the Government of Ghana had ratified the Convention of the Rights of the Child in 1991. In 1992, the Ministries of Education and Health were mandated by the Government to introduce an integrated health education and health delivery services to complement academic components of formal education. The Ministry of Education was given the lead role while the Ministry of Health provides technical support.
SHEP
- Vision for SHEP
The Unit has a vision to create a well informed and healthy school population equipped with life skills to maintain healthy habits, attitudes and behaviour to achieve educational goals and contribute effectively to national development.
Objectives:
The following are the objectives of SHEP Implementation:
- To provide policy direction for the implementation of school health education activities
- To provide skills-based health education that promotes the physical, social and mental development of school-age children
- To promote a healthy friendly, physical, psychosocial and conducive learning environment for children to enhance school retention and academic competence while preventing ill-related absenteeism
- Conduct training to build capacity of teachers, school children and community members for effective implementation of school health programmes
- Develop appropriate information, education and communication (IEC) materials to support health education
- Inculcate into school children health-promoting habits and values of good hygiene and sanitation practices including menstrual hygiene management (MHM) and hand washing with soap under running water
- Bring health education and related health services to the doorsteps of school children for early detection of defects and disability for prompt referral and management
- Promote safety and prevent injury within the school environment and the general community
- Promote the provision of safe school infrastructure that is age-appropriate, well ventilated, well illuminated, disability and gender-friendly.
Promote research and studies on school health issues in support of programme implementation.
Source:ges.gov.gh
