Strategic findings and targeted recommendations for enhanced school health services and school health environment

This chapter presents the findings and discussions, based on the analysis of the data collected through observation checklist, open-ended and close-ended opionnaire for teachers, group discussions with students and six case studies.Based on the results of the study, some important suggestions and recommendations are offered for the consideration of policy-makers, curriculum planners and other important stakeholders. Further, practical and research implications are included in this chapter. The conclusion lends a finishing touch to this study.

5.1.0.Major findings and Discussion

5.1.1 School Health Environment in Government and Private Schools

The crucial aspect of location is not well-reflected in both government and private schools covered in the samples as only nearly one-sixth of the schools are found healthy on this account. The same is the case with even premises and the boundary wall. The remaining five-sixths are either partially healthy or unhealthy. From this, it is clear that the very building blocks of the SHE are sorely missing. This is accounted for by the virtual absence of awareness among the school education authorities about the very concept of the SHE and its constituents.

It is observed that little less than one-fifth of government and private schools are showing healthy indices with regard to condition of school building and classrooms, and light cum-ventilation in the classrooms. It is found that only over one-tenth of government and private schools do keep healthy lunch places. Nearly half of the government and private schools are showing unhealthy indices with regards to the aforementioned indicators, including lunch place. What explains this sorry state of affairs is that there is a well-marked emphasis on infrastructure but it is invariably unaccompanied by an equal emphasis on maintenance and repairs. There is no clarity in the mindset of the management about the critical role of maintenance and repairs ensuring the overall safety and security of the school personnel and students.