Under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah (SCFA), the Health Promotion Department the Supreme Council for Family Affairs has announced, on Monday, the launch of the first phase of the “Healthy Schools” Program, which falls under WHO’s Health Promoting Schools Initiative.
Healthy Schools Program aims at enhancing and developing a healthy and safe environment in public and private schools, which will positively affect the physical, social and educational growth of students.
The Health Promotion Department is the UAE’s first institution that launches the “Healthy Schools” program in line with the WHO’s thirteen criteria.
The program will be carried out at 227 public schools and 26 public nurseries across the Emirate of Sharjah and is targeting around 185000 students.
Healthy Schools Program is organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Prevention, Ministry of Education, Sharjah Private Education Authority and Sharjah Education Council.
Held at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre (JRCC), Sharjah, the official ceremony was attended by HE Khawla Abdul Rahman Al Mulla, Chairperson of the Sharjah Consultative Council, SCC, Dr. Muhadditha Al Hashimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA),
Also presence were Khalid bin Butti Al Hajri, Director General of Sharjah University City, Dr. Abdul Aziz Al Muhairi, Director of Sharjah Health Authority, HE Iman Rashid Saif, Director of the Health Promotion Department, Dr. Aisha Suhail, Director of Primary Health Care Department, MoHAP, Hessa Rasheed, Director of the Second Educational Council at the Ministry of Education, Maryam Jaber Al Shamsi, Director of Early Childhood Department, Sharjah Education Council, Dr. Samar Al Feki, Representative of WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO), along with a number of school principals, parents, representatives of partners, program sponsors and volunteers.
Investment in Children is Investment in the Future
HE Iman Rashid Saif said: “Healthy Schools Program clearly reflects the great attention of the wise leadership to children’s health as they are the hope for the future. I would like to thank HH Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi for her great support and follow up, as well as her highness’s directives to pay particular attention to the health of children and adolescents, as they are the best investment in the future. Such directives were the main motive to adopt the WHO’s program “Health Promoting Schools”.”
The Director of the Health Promotion Department also thanked all the stakeholders who worked hard to make preparations for the launch of the first phase of the program successful, expressing her gratitude to the strategic partners, sponsors and media support for the Department’s efforts, programs, and various initiatives.
Healthy City
For his part, HE Dr. Ahmed Al Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, lauded the leading role being played by Sharjah in promoting health in the community.
In a recorded speech delivered during the event, Al Mandhari said: Sharjah provides a conducive environment for healthy schools, and this is what made it eligible to be classified as a healthy city by the World Health Organization (WHO).
He also commended the achievements and contributions made by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah (SCFA) and her unlimited support for all community initiatives, locally and regionally.
Al Mandhari stressed that launching community initiatives is among the top priorities of WHO’s Vision 2023 for Public Health in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, which calls for Health for all, by all so that everyone in the Eastern Mediterranean region can enjoy a better quality of life.
The UAE Vision 2021
Dr. Aisha Suhail underlined MoHAP’s keenness, as a strategic partner, on providing all means of support and potential to realize the program objectives. This is part of MoHAP’s strategy aiming to launch and support awareness programs and campaigns for raising health awareness among individuals.
In addition, the program falls under the umbrella of the UAE Vision 2021 to improve the results of the obesity indicator among children and adolescents.
Bridges of cooperation
Hessa Rasheed, Director of the Second Educational Council at the Ministry of Education, expressed her gratitude to the Health Education Department for launching this initiative.
“The Ministry of Education will do its utmost to build bridges of cooperation and develop effective partnership. It will also spare no efforts to help bring about the objectives of the program, and achieve the ultimate goal of building a conscious generation able to keep abreast of developments and is armed with determination and persistence while enjoying healthy and mature mind”, she said.
Significant achievement
Dr. Muhadditha Al Hashimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA), highlighted that the Healthy Schools Program is one of the most important achievements and is the latest in a series of initiatives and accomplishments achieved by Sharjah thanks to the wise vision and guidance of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
Al Hashimi emphasized that SPEA will support the programme and provide all necessary tools that would ensure its successful implementation in Sharjah private schools.
Developing Health Reality
Maryam Jaber Al Shamsi said that the Healthy Schools Program is an added value to the achievements of the Emirate of Sharjah. It also underlines that the Emirate of Sharjah is always concerned about the development of the human being intellectually and educationally.
Al Shamsi pointing out that the program will significantly contribute to the development of health reality in educational institutions, raise awareness among students and staff in the school community, which means developing good practices.
Special Criteria for Evaluation
Iman Turki, Head of Programmes Section at the Supreme Council for Family Affairs’ Health Education Department, delivered a presentation on the Healthy Schools Program, through which she explained that the program contains special evaluation criteria including school buildings, conditions of the surrounding environment with special emphasis on physical activity, proper nutrition, the mental health of students, and methods of disease prevention.
In addition to the implementation of non-smoking school policy, as well as special emergency and crisis response plans, and other standards that focus on the health and safety of students and adolescents in the Emirate’s schools, as well as reducing obesity rates among children and adolescents.
Omani Experience
Furthermore, the attendees reviewed the Omani experience in terms of carrying out the Health Promoting Schools since 2004 at all public schools in Oman, through the implementation of many forums under the title “Health Promoting Schools Forum”.
In addition to promoting the initiative through different methods such as workshops, periodic meetings, and media outlets.
Also, the initiative workgroups received training on the concept, goals, and elements of the Healthy Promoting Schools, so as to be more qualified for implementing and circulating the initiative at all schools in the Sultanate.
