Dear Editor,
Schools are often regarded as a “second home” and play an important role in shaping students’ personalities and future trajectories. The school environment can foster students’ intellectual, social, and emotional growth and can enhance their attitudes, skills, and awareness (1). Schools and teachers play an important role in promoting student health by integrating health promotion activities into the school environment and curriculum. Health-promoting schools focus on developing students’ healthy lifestyle skills and creating a physically and psychologically supportive environment to promote the well-being of the school community (2). Teachers, particularly those in teaching roles, are considered connectors, informants, referrers, and supervisors who support students’ mental health (3). Through health education programs, teachers and schools disseminate information, encourage healthy habits, identify students who need additional support, and collaborate with health care professionals when needed (4). Teachers’ understanding of the role of schools in health education is essential because they facilitate healthy habits, contribute to a healthy school community, and ultimately influence the wider community (5). Because students spend many hours each day in educational settings, schools and teachers can play a vital role in maintaining health and improving students’ quality of life.
The most important roles of schools and teachers in maintaining students’ health include the following:
1) Health education: One of the main responsibilities of schools and teachers is to provide students with health education. This education can include topics such as handwashing, oral hygiene, healthy eating, and physical activity. These lessons help students maintain hygiene and prevent various diseases.
2) Creating a healthy and safe educational environment: The educational environment must be hygienic and safe. Schools and teachers are responsible for creating such an environment. This includes providing healthy food in the school buffet and holding classes on safety in the home and workplace.
3) Encouraging healthy school behaviors: Teachers should encourage students to engage in healthy and safe behaviors. This includes encouraging regular exercise, healthy eating, and personal hygiene. In addition, to prevent the use of drugs and other hazardous substances, schools should implement programs to prevent addiction and drug use among students.
4) Identifying problems: Teachers can help identify students’ physical and mental health problems and refer them to counselors or physicians when needed.
5) Promoting sports activities: Encouraging participation in sports activities and sports programs can help improve students’ physical and mental health.
6) Providing social support: Teachers can help improve students’ mental health by building positive and supportive relationships with them.
7) Working with families: Schools can involve families in students’ health by holding meetings and workshops.
8) Modeling healthy behaviors: Teachers can serve as role models of healthy behaviors for students and demonstrate how to maintain health. Examples include healthy eating, regular exercise, and adequate sleep.
In general, schools and teachers have important responsibilities in maintaining students’ health. By creating a healthy and safe educational environment, encouraging healthy and safe behaviors, providing health education, and modeling healthy behaviors, they can help maintain students’ health and improve their quality of life.
