What is a health promoting school?

A health-promoting school is one that constantly attempts to promote the health and well-being of students, school staff and the community through providing a healthy environment, health knowledge and skills and health services, in addition to conducting school and community projects and outreach activities, health promotion programmes, nutrition and food safety, opportunities for physical education and recreation, and counselling services and social support to promote the emotional and mental well-being of students.

What are the key features of a health-promoting school? (WHO, 1996a)

A health-promoting school is one that:

• engages health and education officials, teachers and their representative organizations, students, parents and the community

• strives to provide a safe, healthy environment, including:

  • clean sanitation and water

  • freedom from abuse and violence

  • social support and mental health promotion

  • safe school premises

  • opportunities for physical and recreational activities

• provides skills-based health education through sessions that:

  • improve understanding of factors that sustain and improve health

  • include critical health and life skills to promote the intellectual and emotional abilities of students

  • provide training and education for teachers

• provides access to health services, including vaccination, screening, diagnosis, nutrition and food safety programmes and collaborates with primary health care centres

• implements school policies that promote health

• strives to improve the health of the community.

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