IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY IN OSUN STATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS: AN ASSESSMENT
Abstract
This study assessed the implementation of the National School Health Policy in Osun State secondary schools. It examined the extent to which Osun State Secondary schools implemented the various components of the National School Health Policies, determined the component with the highest and lowest levels of implementation, and identified the challenges to implementation of the policy in the study area. Employing the descriptive survey research design, using a questionnaire and standardized checklist as instruments for data collection, Principals and teachers, purposively selected from thirty-six schools, were the sample for the study. The data were descriptively analysed using frequency counts, percentages and statistical mean. The study found that there was a low (41.33%) to moderate (53.33%) level of implementation of the National School Health Policy in the study area. Healthful School Environment (53.33%) and Skill-based Health Education (49.67%) were the most implemented components of the policy. School–Home and Community Relationship (43%) and School Feeding Services (41.33%) were the least implemented components of the policy. It was found that challenges to implementation included inadequate funding of policy implementation and inadequate human and material resources. The study recommended that the Government should prioritise funding, policy implementation monitoring and resource allocation for critical components like health personnel to support effective policy implementation. Also, principals as school leaders should contribute their quota to ensuring the effective implementation of the policy in schools.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v12i11.6301
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