As described by the World Health Organisation, Health is not just the absence of disease but a dynamic process that involves the harmony of physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual well being (Saskatchewan 1994, Population health goals).
Health should impact on many aspects of school life, from academic achievement to learner’s behaviour, to social interaction among learners or between learners and staff. Likewise, various aspects of school’s physical and social environment influence the well being of individuals and groups who work in it on daily basis. A quality health education curriculum is essential to promote the well being of Solomon Islands youth.
Therefore ‘Health is a resource for living’ and this cannot be understated. By incorporating health education into the curriculum of all schools in the Solomon Islands, we hope to ensure the provision of a comprehensive and meaningful resource for the youth of today and the future. There is an important and urgent need for directing positive and ongoing health education and promotion efforts towards young people in schools. Health education will provide life skills for the future, enable young people to make better sense of their world and better manage themselves within it.
The secondary health education curriculum provides opportunity to increase health-enhancing behaviours and decrease health risk behaviours among young people. Therefore, school health education must be planned and implemented in the context of the learners, family groups and the wider community. Health education programmes must match local needs and address problems, so there is a need to establish close relationships between the learner, teachers, parents and community members.
Teachers should adopt the use of innovative and interactive teaching methods where possible to encourage the learner to participate in school and community based projects. The learner should also be encouraged to participate in the assessment of their needs and planning, implementation and evaluation of their own programmes.
The Curriculum incorporates the teaching of a wide variety of skills that promote the adaptation of health-enhancing behaviours. Such skills enable students to increase control over and to improve their health.
The Solomon Islands Secondary Health Education Syllabus has been designed as a step forward in the provision of a comprehensive and holistic understanding of health as it relates to the wider community and the individual learners. The concept of health promoting school is incorporated by allowing schools to contribute to the promotion of health through provision of school health services, quality of learning environment, opportunities they offer for enhancing self esteem, as well as developing knowledge, skills, attitude and behaviours needed for a healthy lifestyle.
These opportunities should encourage learners to participate in all aspects of school life, lesson taught in the curriculum, their social and physical environment, the links forged with parents and the wider community.
It is planned that the provision of learning opportunities to develop health knowledge, skills, attitudes and values will ensure that the young people of the Solomon Islands have the capacity to take positive preventative actions to promote their health and well-being and that of others.
There is growing evidence in a number of studies that young people are engaging in health risk behaviours and the benefits of school based health education is essential to promote the well being of our young people in schools and individuals within our country.