HEALTH : PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES IN THE 21ST CENTURY

A.E. Bernard

Abstract The importance of health in human life cannot Organization’s Expert Committee on be over emphasized when the kind of life to be Health Service noted that “to learn effectively enjoyed and productivity to various phases of children need health”. human endeavor are considered. This paper Applying this proposition to Nigerian examines ; its prospects and setting, it is obvious that for to survive in challenges in the 21st century. It provides an overview of health education, values of health her present struggles for self-reliance, she must education, why health education is necessary place great emphasis on the health and welfare of in the school , state of health her citizens through well selected health education in Nigeria and problems education programme. This contention is facing health education in Nigeria. The paper reinforced because it is the healthy strong and fit concludes that the efficient implementation of persons in positions of responsibilities that can school health programme is the best hope of contribute effectively to the economic growth of achieving significant life extension and the nation and harness Nigeria’s abundant natural learning process among school children which resources to fashion a better and healthier life has been poorly implemented by stakeholders. than the citizens have hitherto enjoyed.

Fabiyi (2000) observed that now that the Education is the process by which a nation is increasing her investment in education person systematically acquires the basic by increasing the number of primary , secondary knowledge, practical skills and desirable and post-secondary institutions it is right that attitudes vital to the total development and steps should be taken to safeguard the health of growth of himself and his community (Oyekan, the school children in the society in order to 1994). Education has always been a powerful maximize the returns of the nation’s investment force that brings about possible change in every in education. Therefore, a well-organized school society. One of the induces of education that health education programme for the nation bring about promotion of social change is health becomes imperative. education through a meaningful, well organized Health education in the school system is school health programme. Unfortunately many an outgrowth of the universal search for more societies have failed to give due recognition to effective and more enjoyable living. It has been health education in their school curriculum observed that school as agent of cultural transfer forgetting that a healthy and educated child and change can prepare an individual to do what means a healthy and prosperous future. is necessary for the protection, preservation and Adegboyega Ajayi and Adesina (2005) promotion of his health. Regrettably, despite the affirmed that education prepares a child to be fact that Nigerian Educational curriculum houses self-reliant and to be a healthy and productive school health programme in terms of policy and citizen. Educating children at school on health contents, it is implemented partially, poorly should be given a higher priority not only for executed or not implemented in its totality. their health per se but from the perspective of Therefore, the objective of this paper was centered on health education in Nigerian schools; education since if they are to learn, they need to st be in good health. The World Health prospects and challenges in the 21 century. Journal of Qualitative Education, Volume 8 No. 1, May, 2012, ISSN: 0331 – 4790 1

A. E. Bernard However attempt was made to provide answers leadership, social support from family members to the following under listed questions of which and levels of self-help skills. It uses variety of the answers given would determine the focus of methods to help individuals to understand their this write-up: own situations and choose actions that will  What does health education mean? improve their health, for “good health behaviour  What values do school children stand to is not health education”. derive from health education? Many of the ailments suffered today by  What are the attitudes of stakeholders people are to a large degree self-inflicted toward the implementation of health by anti-health practices such as smoking, over- education in Nigerian school? eating, lack of exercise and drug abuse.  What is the state of health education in These are known to be determinant of an Nigerian school? individual’s wellness and welfare. Individuals have the opportunity to control these Overview of Health Education anti-health practices through Udoh, Ajala, Fawole, Okafor, and comprehensive health education by influencing Nwana (1987) defined health education as an the behaviour through a well-planned educational force or progress by which agents of health education programme. education-teachers, parents, nurses or community health workers exert their influence Values of Health Education to School on individual in such a way as to affect their Children health behaviour. It is a process with intellectual, Allensworth and Kolbe (1987) strongly psychological and social dimensions relating to opined that health is undoubtedly an important activities which increase the abilities of people to factor in any human endeavour. A sound make informed decisions affecting their knowledge of health behaviour and practices personal, family and community well-being. acquired through health education equips the This process is based on scientific principles, average youth with good health that will help activities, learning and behavioural change in him or her to achieve the basic goals of education health personnel, consumers, youth and children. and make him or her fit to bring about positive According to Ajisafe (1980) health changes unto himself/herself, family and the education can be regarded as the sum total of society at large. Other values include: experiences, which contribute to the  Provision of scientific health knowledge development of desirable habits, attitudes and to the school children so as to be able to knowledge, related to an individual, family and make and take intelligent health community. It is a planned intervention, utilizing decisions. human learning to alter information, attitudes,  Ensure the development of desirable skills and behaviours held by individual or health attitude in order to inculcate in groups in the direction of improved physical, children the wholesome respect and mental, social and spiritual well-being. appreciation of other excellent health Health education is not the same as habits. health information, though correct information is  Protecting school children against certainly a basic part of health education, but communicable diseases and other health education addresses factors that affect preventable ones in the school and health behaviours such as availability of community at large. resources, effectiveness of community

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Health Education: Prospects and Challenges in the 21st Century  Contributing meaningfully to the Udoh et al (1987) indicated that some of physical, social, emotional and spiritual these health problems impair physical, mental development of the school children. and social development; some interfere with  Ensuring the provision of healthy school learning while others lead to disability and death. living for both the school children and Therefore there is need to be concerned about personnel. these problems since they are related to patterns  It providing an insight into the of growth and development, conception through identification and correction of adulthood. remediable abnormalities in the school Education is the appropriate route children. through which all citizens can learn to understand  It inducing to be wise the relationship between these social, economic consumers and providers with respect to and psychological problems and individual health related goods and services patterns of growth and development. It is through  It encouraging prompt emergency care in such understanding that positive action can the school plants as well as developing improve the quality of life for the individual as in each school child the optimum health well as for the family and the society. level through the help of home-school Therefore, it is necessary that health and community cooperation in health education must be put in its proper place in the related matters. However, Agbaje and society and in schools so that all citizens would Olanipekun (2008) believed that be better prepared to avoid preventive health effective implementation of health problems, prevalent in the community. education at all levels of education Drake, Jukes, Sternberg and Bundy brings about achievement of expected (2000) and Stoltzfus, Albonico,Tielsch, Chwaja societal change in the field of economy, and Savoli (1998) submitted that globally, productivity, politics and technological millions of children are infected with different advancement. types of communicable diseases with great burden in the poorest Nations of the World, Why is Health Education Necessary? which School age children are the most heavily Our environment is polluted as a result infected group both in terms of prevalence and of alterations that bring about an unfavourable intensity of infection and this has negatively development in our surrounding arising from hindered their growth and affected their human activities. The by-product of man’s cognition. Skill based health and hygiene actions renders plant and animal’s life less education programme plays a vital role in resistant to diseases causing their death or combating infectious diseases among school reduction. Today, there exist many health children which Health Education is meant to problems and unhealthy health practices achieve. This is done through promoting ravaging the Nigerian School children such as knowledge in areas such as disease prevention health taboos and misconceptions, veneral and control, and promoting behaviour that are diseases, problems of accidents, teenage specifically relevant to bringing about sound pregnancy and early parenthood to mention a health within the community. few need to be addressed knowing fully that a Healthy skills such as maintaining society with healthy children is bound to raise personal, family and community hygiene should productive adults that would contribute to the be impacted into individuals starting from the development of a Nation at large. home since the home is the primary agent of

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A. E. Bernard socialization to change unhealthy habits, In secondary schools, the need to make avoiding behaviours that are likely to cause health education a full fledge subject has been infections among school children, coupled with jeopardized. Though physical and health comprehensive and well selected health education is recognized as a subject in upper education programmme within the school setting basic schools the National Commission for which could in turn affect the community Colleges of Education (2010) in her recent positively knowing fully that the school is an proposal/restructuring exercise indicated that integral part of the community (WHO 1996). health education should be scrapped off in secondary schools since there is no provision for State of Health Education in Nigerian training teachers in the field of health education Schools based on the restructuring exercise. While the It is noteworthy to state that health already practicing health education teachers in education as a subject has not been given its due secondary schools teach the subject with Luke place in the educational curriculum of basic and warmness reason being that it is not offered by in Nigeria (Akinbile and students at the senior secondary schools and not Adelusi, 2010). Since health has continued to be recognized as one of the examinable subjects at man’s greatest need, it is the only hope of man to the senior secondary school certificate continue to function to his full potential. The examination. goal of health education is to provide scientific Akinbile and Adelusi (2010) posited that knowledge that an individual can use to enhance the school health services being part of health his health status as well as prevent the education involving the services of nurses, occurrence of disease and death. physicians, health counselors, cleaners and Health education is a frontline defense in grounds men no longer exist in either Nigerian the efforts of preventive to ward off basic or secondary schools. This is blamed on the ignorance and diseases thereby bring about fact that provisions are not made in terms of effective positive changes to the individual and facilities, personnel and materials needed for its the society at large. Unfortunately, this important execution. role of health education which is supposed to be Consequently, the non-implementation pursued through the implementation of school of the healthful school environment as an integral health instruction, school health services and part of health education programmme is school healthful environment has not been given premised in the existence of dilapidated due recognition by the nations school buildings, inadequate seats in the classroom for administrators both at basic and secondary students and teachers, the use of uncompleted school levels (Ademuwagun, 1971). buildings for private nursery and basic school, In primary schools, little or nothing is bushy environments and absence of sporting and known about health education. Though health recreation facilities in Nigerian schools. education in the lower basic schools syllabus but teachers teach only the “hygiene” or “personal Problems Facing the Teaching of Health health” aspect of health education because they Education lack adequate knowledge of the subject. The Implementing an effective health broad based school health programme which education programme for school children both at caters for health instruction, health services, basic and secondary schools would not be an school healthful environment and school- easy task, however, the first step to solve a community relation is completely absent. particular problem is to identify the obstacles that

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Health Education: Prospects and Challenges in the 21st Century may hinder the solutions proffered. Health practicing health education teachers adopt a education as a new discipline in Nigerian schools single method of teaching. and college is confronted with a lot of problems Bamide (1984) expressed concern about right from curriculum planning to its the medium through which teachers pass implementation. Hence the subject is still not instruction during the teaching-learning process autonomous in the school time table. It is either to the learners. He indicated that teachers should marched with or health endeavours to use language or idea which are . The major problems confronting health within the level of students understanding. education include; * Inadequate facilities and equipment: The * Inadequate trained health educators: Oshodin teaching of health education should be from (1990) observed that the teaching of health known to unknown which requires adequate education has advanced in developed nations equipment and facilities in terms of laboratory, more than the developing countries in which films and films ships, tape-recorder, health Nigeria is inclusive. He emphasized that most of charts, radio and television, and overhead the personnel handling the teaching of health projectors of which are not available in most education as subjects in basic and secondary Nigerian basic and secondary schools. Many schools are not suitably qualified. In most cases, scholars have adduced this to the inadequate teachers who teach and other science funding of education in Nigerian which cuts related subjects are coopted to teach health across all levels of education. education in both basic and secondary schools. * Confusion on whom to handle the subject: * Inadequate indigenous textbooks: Oshodin Most school administrators believe that biology (1990) referred to this as learning materials that teachers, integrated science teachers and teachers can help to reduce the burden of teachers and of other science related subjects are in best also serve as basic resource references in position to effectively teach health education. Be teaching health education. Turner (1981) this as it may, school administrators do not see observed that adequate textbook places a major the need to actually commit the teaching of role in determining the effective teaching of health education into the hands of professionally health education. He stressed that health trained health educators. education cannot be taught successfully without reasonable textbooks that take into cognizance * Funding of Health Education: There are so the cultural heritage of the people where it is many programme competing for attention in the being used. face of limited resources and as a result of the ailing therefore, it becomes * Poor methods of teaching: Methods of teaching difficult to convince the to give health education are the systematic and priority to health education in schools. organized procedures a teacher uses to Furthermore, neither the Ministry of Health nor determinate knowledge of healthful living in Ministry of Education is ready to take order to influence students health practice, responsibilities for the funding school health behaviour, attitude and knowledge. He stressed programme. Even with the schools, most school that teaching health education should involve the heads are lacking in this regard. They see schools eclectic methods of but most inter-house sports as a fund raising avenue just to enrich themselves instead of using the funds

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A. E. Bernard generated to fund the health aspect of Physical education as a teaching subject should be and Health Education. This is a sin crying to God jettisoned for vegence. Not even the Health Education  In-service training programme should be teacher has a say in this as they connive with provided for active health educators in their school heads in sharing this booty both basic and secondary school level.  The organs of school health programmes; Conclusion school health instructions, school health Health is an important factor that services, healthful school environment influences one’s way of life. It improves and school community relation should be personal goals. However, health education may given recognition in all levels of not be panacea to all health problems since there education through coordinated efforts of is no easy solution to any of the complex all stake holders. problems of living. Hence, combating such  All tiers of government should expedite problems will definitely take continuous well actions in the provision of facilities, planned efforts by society’s agencies. The school equipment and materials for the effective is one of these agencies through which a implementation of School Health comprehensive health education programme can Instruction at all levels of educational be effectively implemented. system. Health education philosophy and  Emphasis should be placed on the practice are based on the fact that human recruitment of personnel such as behaviour can be influenced through well- physicians, nurses, counsellors, grounds organized health programme of instruction. men and cleaners to complement the Today in Nigerian basic and secondary school programme of instruction imparted by curriculum Health Education as a subject is trained health educators at basic and either partially implemented, wrongly executed secondary school levels. or not implemented in its totality. The efficient implementation of school References health programme is obviously the best hope of Adegboyega, J.A., Ajay, V.O. & Adesina M.O. achieving any significant extension of life (2005). Essentials of school health expectancy this lies in the area of disease programme, Ibadan. Macmillian Nig. Ltd. prevention which can be made known to school children through education. Ademuwagun, Z.A. (1971). The preparation of teachers in health education at the Recommendations level in Nigeria. International Based on the foregoing, the following Journal of Health Education XIV (3), 121- recommendations were made: 126.  Health education should be given priority in Nigerian Educational Ajisafe, M.O. (1980). Teaching physical and curriculum right from basic schools health education. Ibadan. Macmillan Nig. through secondary and tertiary Ltd. institutions.  The proposed restructuring of NCE Agbaje, O. S. & Olanipekun, O.K. (2008). New programmes by National commission for comprehensive physical and health colleges of Education to scrap health

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Health Education: Prospects and Challenges in the 21st Century education for schools and colleges. Stoltzfus, R.J.; Albonico, M, Tietsch, J.M . Olis Nigeria Ventures. Chwaya, H.M. & Savioli, L. (1998). School-based deworming yields small Akinbile, P.O. & Adelusi, J.O. (2010). Non- improvement in growth of Zanzibari implementation of school health school children after one year. Journal of programme in schools; An impediment to Nutrition 128, 2187-2193. societal change. Paper presented at the International conference on transformative Udor, C. O, Fawole, J.O, Ajala, J.A; Okafor, C. education Obafemi Awolowo University & Nwana, Q. (1987). Fundamental of Ife. health education. Ibadan, Heinemann Education Books. 195-245. Allensworth, D.D. & Kolbe, I D (1987). The comprehensive school health programme. A.E. Bernard Exploring and expanded concept. Journal Department of Physical and Health Education, Adeyemi College of Education, of School Health 10( iv) 409-412. Ondo.

Drake, L.J., Jukes, M.C.H. Sternberg, R.J. & Bundy, D.A.Y. (2000). Geohelminth infections; Congnitive and development impact. Seniors in pediatric infectious diseases, 11, 245-251.

Fawole J.O (1981). Pregnancies in our Secondary Schools: A task for Educators. Nigerian School Health Journal, 3 (1) 15-20.

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Oshodin, O.P. (1990). Taxonomy of educational objective handbook on Cognitve York, David Mickay Company.

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