UN pushes for ‘health-promoting’ schools

UN pushes for ‘health-promoting’ schools

GENEVA “” With school closures triggered by COVID-19 disrupting both education and access to nutritious meals, two UN agencies on Tuesday launched new measures to help improve the well-being of 1.9 billion school-aged children and adolescents around the world. There has been increased stress, anxiety and other mental health issues, while an estimated 365 million primary school students have gone without school meals, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN specialized agency handling education issues, UNESCO. Based on a set of eight global benchmarks, Global Standards for Health-promoting Schools, calls for all classrooms to promote life skills, cognitive and socioemotional skills and healthy lifestyles for learners. "These newly launched global standards are designed to create schools that nurture education and health, and that equip students with the knowledge and skills for their future health and well-being, employability and life prospects,“ said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Linking schools and health Clear evidence shows that comprehensive health and nutrition programs in schools, have significant impacts among students. "Schools play a vital role in the well-being of students, families and their communities, and the link between education and health has never been more evident,“ Tedros added. The new standards,