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Health Education in Schools
Today a child's education is related to living; he learns through the opportunity of
reasoning rather than the presentation of facts, and in health education this principle
of helping a child to relate biological facts to everyday life and experience has been
pursued.
Throughout runs the theme that health behaviour is a matter of personal choice.
In Primary Schools the syllabus has been arranged to meet the needs of the particular
school but in all cases the basic elements of good health i.e. physical, mental and
social health and the responsibility of the individual towards this state, have been
presented.
The pupils in the Secondary Schools have investigated their future responsibility for
their own health, their contribution to community health and their role as parents-to-be.
Within this context of health responsibility information was given on the health hazards
of today, namely lung cancer, obesity, venereal diseases, drug abuse, mental health
and parentcraft.
In one school, following a mothercraft course the interest shown in child care by
the girls participating resulted in their forming a one afternoon per week play group for
toddlers which provided an excellent opportunity for the girls to study child development
at first hand.
An interesting and very well worthwhile development has been an increased participation
in Parent-Teacher meetings, especially to discuss with them the sex
instruction which is included within the overall context of health in the school health
programme.