FG Reviews 2006 National School Health Policy to Address Emerging Challenges

The Federal Government has commenced a review of the National School Health Policy, which was introduced in 2006, to address emerging health challenges and improve the health and well-being of learners across the country.

The Deputy Director and Head of the Sports and Health Education Division at the Federal Ministry of Education, Njideka Dorothy, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during the 33rd annual development forum of the Lagos-based non-governmental organisation LAPO.

The forum, themed “Safe Water, Healthy Learning: Advancing WASH in Nigerian Schools,” brought together stakeholders to discuss ways of improving water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in educational institutions.

Dorothy said the existing policy had guided school health interventions for two decades but required a comprehensive review to reflect changing health needs and new challenges confronting pupils and students.

She cited the COVID-19 pandemic and other emerging health concerns as reasons for updating the framework, stressing the need to strengthen the integration of health and well-being into the education system.

The ministry representative emphasised that safe water, adequate sanitation and proper hygiene were essential to creating healthy learning environments. She said these facilities must be supported by sustained health education that encourages learners to adopt good hygiene practices.

Dorothy explained that teaching children the relationship between poor hygiene and disease could encourage regular handwashing and help them maintain cleaner surroundings.

However, she identified inadequate water supply, insufficient sanitation and handwashing facilities, limited funding and poor maintenance as persistent obstacles to effective school health programmes.

She said addressing these challenges would require improved infrastructure, stronger implementation arrangements and greater commitment from relevant stakeholders.

The policy review is expected to provide an updated framework for improving health conditions in schools and supporting learners’ attendance, dignity and academic performance.

The Federal Government’s initiative forms part of broader efforts to ensure that schools provide environments conducive to learning while protecting the health and well-being of children.