Hyderabad: Government run and aided schools in the State will soon have a ‘School Health Programme’ aimed at ensuring the health of students and preventing diseases among them.

As part of the programme, health promotion activities, health screening and preventive services besides documentation of health-related data will be taken up. Students will also be imparted appropriate health education.

According to the minutes of a recent meeting of the Project Approval Board (PAB) of Samagra Shiksha for the academic year 2020-21, school health promotion activities are to be implemented in all government and government-aided schools with close coordination between the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Department of School Education & Literacy, MHRD and the State School Education department.

The PAB meeting was convened by the Department of School & Literacy with officials of the School Education department. The programme will be implemented once schools reopen after the government issues a notification for the same. State officials were asked to include health sessions in the time-table and in the regular curriculum for classroom teaching.

To implement the health programme, two teachers, preferably one male and female, in every school will be appointed as ‘Health and Wellness Ambassadors’. These teachers will be trained by the health department to transact health promotion and disease prevention in the form of interesting activities for one hour every week.

In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the schools were also asked to take up the sanitisation programme under the composite school grant. According to officials, the schools must undertake sanitisation and disinfection on a regular basis covering all areas of the campus besides ensure airflow in indoor space.

The schools are also asked to ensure basic wash facilities, separate washrooms for girls and boys, handwash stations, and safe drinking water facilities. They were also asked to ensure availability of essentials like soap, hand sanitiser or chlorine solution, and other disinfection and the cleaning material in the school.

“This time, the School Health Programme, e-learning and Covid-19 safety and security measures have been incorporated into the PAB. In view of the prevailing situation, e-learning is being promoted. Training programmes for elementary and secondary schools will be conducted online this year. For 2020-21, a total of Rs 2,285 crore has been approved towards Samagra Shiksha which includes 60 per cent share of the centre and 40 per cent State government’s share,” officials said.

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