At present, 18.5 percent of the school children in the country are obese. And another 15 percent are at risk for obesity. According to Minister of Health Stevenson Kuartei, children need to have a balanced meal in school. There has to be more physical activities.
One school came up with water-only drinking policy. Others began to increase the level of physical activities of students through creation of different sport activities and fitness exercise. And some encourage students to walk to and from schools and homes.
In July last year, President Johnson Toribiong signed Executive Order No. 263 to establish a Committee to create Healthy Lifestyle Curricula, a separate curricula for elementary and high school students that will teach them to incorporate good eating habits, appropriate nutrition and safe physical activity into their daily lives.
According to Deborah Nagata, Health Program Specialist of the Ministry of Education (MOE), “The Committee consists of six members — three from the MOE, namely, me, Wicliff Emul and Jubilee Kuartei; and three from MOH, namely, Yorah Demei, Berry Moon Watson and Deidre Yamanguchi.”
The group met in July to discuss the Executive Order. After reviewing both the Physical Education Curriculum Standards and the Health Education Curriculum Framework and comparing their contents with the Presidential Directive, the Committee felt that the two curriculums, although developed over 10 years ago, still apply to Palau’s current health issues.
With collaboration between all schools and the Family Health Unit’s School Health Program, each school on the island has undertaken its own health and physical activity initiatives, based on the principles of EO No. 263.
The Committee met with some of the public schools PE and Health teachers to strengthen and improve existing programs and develop innovative approach to address the health and physical education of students.
Peleliu Elementary School implemented a water-only drinking policy in school wherein students and teachers are prohibited from bringing sodas and other drinks to school and encouraged to drink only water on campus. Ngarchelong Elementary School began a pilot project to increase the level of physical activity of their students through creation of different sport activities and fitness exercise conducted on a daily basis.
Students at Melekeok Elementary Schools are encouraged to walk to and from schools and homes. Ngardmau Elementary School focuses on suicide prevention through teaching and incorporation of life skills strategies into daily instructions in English class. Airai Elementary School developed a gardening project where students plant vegetables and fruits to be part of the lunch program.
Koror Elementary School’s teachers developed a variety of health activities that are incorporated into core subjects in the schools. Maris Stella Elementary School implemented an anti-bullying policy that increases parent participation in bullying prevention in the schools. Belau Modekngei High School Summer Camp reinforces positive youth development through incorporation of life skills into culturally relevant activities. Student campers partake in activities that teach craft skills, weaving, fishing, gardening, storytelling, dancing and music.
The NCD Unit’s Cancer Program has also integrated a cancer-specific curriculum into school programs.
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