Prime Minister Hun Sen has appointed Minister of Education, Youth and Sport Hang Chuon Naron as the new chairman of an inter-ministerial committee for school health services.

In a cabinet meeting on April 5, 2019, the government finalised the draft law for the National Policy on School Health, intended to improve the quality of health-related education and ensure the good health and well-being of students and academic staff.

According to a directive signed by Hun Sen on December 4 last year and obtained by The Post on January 7, the committee comprises provincial governors and 23 secretaries of the state and the capital.

The directive established an incremental strategy to implement cooperative activities between learning institutions and health service providers in order to promote health education, sanitation and disease prevention, as well as provide essential healthcare services and clean water in schools.

Hun Sen said the policy will help the Kingdom achieve its educational goals by propagating awareness of preventable illnesses, medical treatments and good habits as well as practical life skills including CPR and ethical considerations.

A well-rounded approach to education will meet the physical and spiritual needs of young people, facilitating their growth and balanced development into healthy, knowledgeable and responsible adults.

The National Policy on School Health emphasises an operational philosophy which focuses on increasing graduation rates by ensuring the health and productive capacities of students.

More broadly, it also seeks to create inclusive study environments which provide diverse topics of training including nutrition, physiology, personal and family health habits and cultural studies.