Methodological approaches towards evaluation of school health initiatives

This chapter is primarily concerned with the procedures of research adopted in this study; the operational definitions of variables selected, the criteria and techniques adopted for selecting the sample. The procedures of development and standardization of research tools are also dealt with. The description and administration of the research tools along with the procedure followed for the analysis of the data are discussed.

3.1.0 Statement of the Problem

A majority of children in the world now attend primary school, which means that they spend a good part of their time within school environments during critical stages of their development. A healthy school environment can directly improve children's health and their potential for learning, and thereby contribute to the development of healthy adults who will be skilled and productive members of society. (Creating a Healthy School Environment, UNESCO 2003).

Schools play an important role in children's health outcomes as stated in Healthy Schools, Healthy Children, Healthy Futures: The Role of the Federal Government in Promoting Health Through the Schools (Cohen et al., 1992). The critical role of educators and schools is also emphasized in Schools and Health: Our Nation's Investment (Allensworth, Wyche, Lawson, & Nicholson, 1997).

Healthy children are more effective learners - "a student who is not healthy is a student who will not profit from the educational process" (Michael McGinns, cited in Allensworth & Kolbe, 1987). Marx (1998) stated that "educational reforms will be effective only if students' health and well-being are identified as contributors to academic  success  and  are  at  the  heart  of  decision  and  policy  making"  (p. 293). Considering the various research studies that emphasize that health can be promoted effectively through schools, an effort has been made to study the school health environment and health services and the problem has been precisely stated as “An investigation into School Health Environment and School Health Services in Primary Schools of Hyderabad District”.

3.2.0 Aim

The aim of this study is to study the ground realities and move towards evolving a comprehensive framework for school health policy as well as depict a meticulous, multi-stakeholder perspective of the school health environment and school health services in the primary schools of Hyderabad.

3.3.0 Objectives of the study

The study is conducted keeping in mind the following objectives:

• To study whether the schools of Hyderabad city have healthful school
• To examine the school health services in the elementary schools of Hyderabad
• To understand opinions of teachers about school health environment and school
• To study the perceptions of students about school health environment and school
• To evolve necessary recommendations for promoting healthful school environment and provision of adequate school health