1,500+ School Health Providers Graduate
More than 1,500 school staff graduated the School Health Programme (SHP) on Wednesday 29 April at ceremonies held in Mongu, Chinsali and Choma. They join a total of 6,314 school health teachers, coordinators, and administrators who are trained to deliver health education and basic medical services as part a scheme run by the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Healthy Learners, and supported by the Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU).
In Mongu, the graduation ceremony was attended by Western Province Minister Kapelwa Mbangweta, Head of the Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU) Kusobile Kamwambi, and Assistant Director for School Health and Nutrition (SHN) Maybin Luulu, who represented Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary Dr. Kelvin Mambwe. Representatives from Healthy Learners were also present.
“It was a natural and easy decision for us to support the programme because the numbers are speaking for themselves. This programme is definitely impactful, with a target of reaching 2.5 million learners by 2028.” Ms Kamwambi said during her address to the graduating class.
SHP graduates at the ceremony in Mongu, Western Province.
The School Health Programme is aimed at improving the overall health and learning of children by transforming schools into centres for preventative care, early disease detection, and promoting healthy habits. Following the graduation, some 1.1 million Zambian schoolchildren are now covered by the programme across 736 participating schools in all ten provinces.
As part of the programme, school health teachers receive training in health education and administering basic medical services. Head teachers and deputy heads serve as school health administrators, overseeing the overall implementation of the programme. Meanwhile, coordinators provide mentorship, supervision, and technical support to school health teachers, as well as making sure their services stay within national guidelines.
At the graduation ceremonies in Mongu and Chinsali, teachers were presented with blood pressure machines that had been generously donated by President Hakainde Hichilema. These devices will be distributed to health rooms at participating schools, helping to ensure that pupils maintain good cardiovascular health.
By 2028, government aims to expand the School Health Programme to 2,000 schools around the country and train a total of 15,000 teachers. This will ensure that 2.5 million children have access to basic healthcare services.
