The first major international conference on Health Promotion took place in November 1986 and culminated in the LETTER FROM OTTAWA. This conference called on the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international bodies to advocate for health in all contexts, since health education should be the responsibility of all sectors, including education, and are responsible for building global welfare. Since then, the World Health Organization has promoted the creation of Health Promoting Schools Networks with the aim of promoting health and demonstrating the impact of health promotion in schools.
Cape Verde is following this movement and UAICS, with the technical and institutional support of WHO, has as its main objective the creation of a Core of Health Promoting Schools based on four thematic areas:
- Food Education
- Physical Activity
- Additive behaviours and dependencies
- Education for sexuality
A Health Promoting School:
➜ Promotes the health and well-being of students.
➜ Improves school results.
➜ Advocates the principles of social justice and equity.
➜ Provides a safe and supportive environment.
➜ Promotes student participation and empowerment.
➜ Links health and education issues and systems.
Essential elements in Health Promotion in schools
The Health Promoting School (HPS) is based on the principles of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion of the World Health Organization. It consists of six essential elements:
- Healthy school policies - These are clearly defined in documents or generally accepted practices that promote health and well-being. Several policies promote health and wellbeing, such as those that provide healthy eating practices at school or those that minimise bullying.
- The physical environment of the school - The physical environment refers to the buildings, grounds, playgrounds and facilities on and around the school grounds: the design and location of the building; access to natural light and adequate shade; the creation of spaces for physical activity; and adequate facilities for learning and healthy eating. It also refers to the basic facilities: the maintenance of the building and sanitary hygiene practices to prevent the transmission of diseases; the availability of drinking water and fresh air; the absence of environmental, biological or chemical contaminants, harmful to health.
- The social environment of the school - The social environment of the school is a combination of the quality of relations within the staff, within the pupils and between one another. It is influenced by relationships with parents and the wider community.
- Individual health and action skills - This refers to the formal and informal curriculum and associated activities through which students, depending on their age, acquire knowledge, skills and experience that enable them to develop action skills to improve their own health and well-being and that of others in the community, which improves their school achievement.
- Community liaison - The community liaison consists of the relations between the school and the students' families, plus the relations between the school and key groups and people in the local community. Real partnerships (consultation, adequate participation) with these partners strengthen the HPS and provide students and staff with a context and support for their actions.
- Health services - These are the local and regional health services, within or linked to the school itself, which are responsible for health care and the promotion of the health of children and adolescents through the direct provision of services to pupils (including those with special needs). It comprises: - medical screening and assessment by accredited and qualified professionals; - mental health services (including counselling) to promote students' social and emotional development; to prevent or reduce barriers to intellectual development and learning; to reduce or prevent stress and mental, emotional and psychological disorders, and to improve social interactions between all students.