WHO, UNESCO Jointly Call On Countries To Make Schools Health-Promoting

UNESCO and the World Health Organization on Tuesday launched global standards for schools to improve the wellbeing of approximate two billion school-aged children and adolescents, as the closure of schools during the pandemic severely disrupted education in many countries

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd June, 2021) UNESCO and the World Health Organization on Tuesday launched global standards for schools to improve the wellbeing of approximate two billion school-aged children and adolescents, as the closure of schools during the pandemic severely disrupted education in many countries.

"Schools play a vital role in the wellbeing of students, families, and their communities, and the link between education and health has never been more evident," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, adding that these newly launched global standards are meant to create schools that would teach their students skills to improve health and wellbeing, employability and life prospects.

The standards will be piloted in Botswana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Paraguay. The initiative is in line with WHO's 13th General Program of Work (GPW) target of "1 billion lives made healthier" by 2023 and the global Education 2030 Agenda coordinated by UNESCO.

"Education and health are interdependent basic human rights for all, at the core of any human right, and essential to social and economic development," UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azouley said, adding that a school that is not health-promoting is no longer acceptable.

UNESCO and WHO are expected to work with governments to aid countries in adapting the standards to their specific contexts.