The Training and Resource Material meant for teachers from upper primary to secondary stages, as part of the school health component, was launched by the Honourable Prime Minister on 14 April 2018. This is a joint programme of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) to enhance the health and well-being of school-going children.
The Training and Resource Material on Health and Wellness of Schoolgoing children is based on the school health and wellness initiatives, which harmonises diverse programmes such as Adolescence Education Programme, Life skills, Value Education, National Population Education Project and Yoga with the common objective of promoting holistic development, health and well-being. The school health component will provide an excellent and much needed opportunity to leverage existing life skills and harmonise with the existing initiatives of weekly iron and folic acid supplementation, menstrual hygiene management, referral to Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHCs)1 , access to counsellors working in these clinics to provide a continuum of care of information, psychological support, commodities and services to children under Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram along with health screening by Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK).
Some of the parameters of school health initiatives are reflected in the National Curriculum Framework 2005, wherein it is stated that health is influenced by biological, social, economic, cultural and political forces. Health is a critical input for the overall development of a child. The document further elaborates that this curriculum adopts a holistic definition of health. Undernourishment and communicable diseases are the major health problems faced by a majority of children in India, studying in the pre-primary to the secondary school stages. Therefore, there is a need to address this aspect at all levels of schooling, with special attention to vulnerable social groups and girl children. It is proposed that the midday meal programme and medical check-ups be made a part of the curriculum. Education about health should also be provided that address age specific concerns at different stages of development. The idea of a comprehensive school health programme, conceived in the 1940s, included five major components, viz., medical care, hygienic school environment, and school lunch, health and physical education. These components are important for the overall development of the child, and hence, need to be included in the curriculum.
In continuation, the document mentions the growing realisation that health of children in this impressionable age group needs to be addressed since they relate pred
Ujasbhani Programme 2023-24 : Download
No comments:
Post a Comment