West Afr J Med. 2021 Apr 23;38(4):359-365.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: School Health Instructions (SHI) entail the instructional aspect of school health programme, which provides a classroom opportunity for inculcating healthy habits into the school- age child.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the status of implementation of school health instruction in primary schools in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria.
METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study of 146 primary schools in the Gwagwalada Area Council of the Nigerian Federal capital was carried out to assess the implementation of SHI with respect to the contents, methods of delivery and teachers preparation for health teaching using an evaluation checklist for SHI.
RESULTS: Of 146 schools, 115(78.8%) schools attained the minimum acceptable score of 27. Of the 40 public and 106 private schools, 27(67.5%) public and 88(83.0%) private schools attained the acceptable minimum score of 27. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean scores attained cumulatively in the various components of the school health instruction by the public and private schools (t=2.721, p= 0.008). Public schools had significantly more teachers with education-related qualifications than private schools (p<0.001). Teachings on HIV/ AIDS, safety education and community health were undertaken by 95.9%, 93.2% and 95.2% schools respectively. Only 5(3.4%) schools followed the recommendation of giving health instruction at least thrice a week.
CONCLUSION: Implementation of SHI was adequate in the study area, with a better performance among the private schools.
PMID:33901393
