Schools benefit from program
MORE than 200 primary and high schools in Fiji have benefited from a World Health Organization and Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) program called Health Promoting Schools.
Established three years ago, the initiative has seen progress in three key areas – diet and physical activity, mental health and wellbeing and hygiene.
However, while speaking at an awards ceremony for 13 schools in Nadi yesterday, Education Ministry deputy secretary Timoci Bure said the biggest challenge was ensuring that the initiative was taken out to the remaining schools in Fiji.
“How best we can ensure that the remaining 412 primary schools in Fiji and 120 secondary schools are able to receive this assistance,” he said.
“Because when we talk about education, we talk about access, we talk about equality.
“Education is the greatest equaliser, it doesn’t have to become the greatest divider.
“If we leave behind these 412 primary and 120 secondary schools, it might be taken that this initiative is one of the greatest dividers.”
Mr Bure said though the Health Promoting Schools project had come to its end after three years, it was hoped that the more than 1600 teachers who had been upskilled and other stakeholders would be able to take the lessons learnt out to the remaining schools.