HEALTH EDUCATION FOR EVERYBODY

HEALTH EDUCATION FOR CHILD

*Why need for better child health:*

 

 

Definition:

The ‘WHO’ definition has been discussed in details to have better understanding. For physical and mental well-being there is reasonably Firm acceptance of the reality of mental health, one who lacks the quality of mental health such as a person with service depression, is all regardless of how healthy he or she may be physically. The acceptance of mental or emotional problems is much more certain when something physical are involved either as a symptom or as a causative factor.

Example: 

A school child whose behavioral problems result from the brain damage incurred during the birth may be considered more sympathetically then if his or her behavior resulted from long-term interpersonal conflicts. Aristotle was right in saying ‘A sound mind in a sound body,’ the social context is more a determinant of health itself rather than a parameter of health.

It may be argued that social Mal-adjustment or deprivation became a problem, as it is reflected in reduced mental health. The social interaction becomes a means for achieving health or in other words to be society healthy one must make a positive contribution to one’s family and community. The parent who does a responsible job of parenting is viewed as society healthy. The abusive parent is deemed socially ill. So one’s social health status is measured not in terms of personal feeling of well-being, but in terms of one’s effects on the well-being of others.

Good health starts from infancy and a healthy child develops into a healthy adult. Everyone rich or poor, small or big has contribution in the making society. At list one can contribute to the preservation of the health community. To live healthfully is everybody right. But to enjoy this right one has no right to trespass the rights of others. So one must obey the health laws, observe health principle and follow health practices.

 Education in India  

 

● Only 66% per cent of the Indian people are literate (76% of men and 54% of women).

● While close to 90 per cent children in the 6-11 age group are formally enrolled in primary
schools, nearly 40 per cent drop out at the primary stage. The enrolment ratios of
Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Muslim children (especially girls) still
remain far lower than the national average.

● 1.36 crore (40 per cent) children in the age group of 6-14 years remained out of school
as on March 2005, four years after the launch of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
● Half of India’s schools have a leaking roof or no water supply, 35% have no blackboard
or furniture, and close to 90 per cent have no functioning toilets.
● The official teacher-student norm is 1:40, yet in some states classes average is one
teacher per 80 children. The prescribed norm of a school being available within the
radius of one kilometre is still not being fulfilled.

● Malnutrition, hunger and poor health remain core problems, which comprehensively
affect attendance and performance in classes. The added burden of home chores and
child labour influence a large number of children, especially girls, to drop out of school.

* Health In India – Key Indicators *

● India accounts for more than 20% of global maternal and child deaths, and the highest
maternal death toll in the world estimated at 138,000.1
● United Nations calculations show that India’s spending on public health provision, as a
share of GDP is the 18th lowest in the world.
● Nearly 67% of the population in India do not have access to essential medicines.
● Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in India was 67.6 in 1998-99 and has come down to 57 in
2005-06. Kerala heads the progress made so far with an IMR of 15/1000 births. Uttar
Pradesh has the worst IMR in the country of 73/1000 births.
● Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) is currently 4 deaths per 1000 births. India accounts for
the largest number of maternal deaths in the world.
● 79% of the children between the age of 6-35 months, and more than 50% of women, are
anaemic, and 40% of the maternal deaths during pregnancy and child-birth relate to
anaemia and under-nutrition.
● There are 585 rural hospitals compared to 985 urban hospitals in the country. Out of the
6,39,729 doctors registered in India, only 67,576 are in the public sector.

[Source:
1. WHO, UNICEF & UNFPA, Maternal Mortality in 2000]


 *. EDUCATION FOR ALL: POLICY FRAMEWORK*

From 1950 onwards the Government of India (GOI) has created policy instruments to promote
Universal Elementary Education (UEE) in an attempt to eliminate all forms of discrimination
based on caste, community and gender. Some of these are:2

● Policy-level recognition of the importance of providing child care facilities/crèche within
school premises. The Integrated Child Development Programme (ICDS) was initiated in
1975-76 in 33 Blocks and now covers 5671 Blocks (Projects) with 7.44 lakh Anganwadi
Centres. Slated to be universalised, an additional 467 Blocks (1,88,168 Anganwadi
Centres) will be operational by the end of the Tenth Five Year Plan;3

● Provide schools within walking distance, and satellite schools for remote hamlets,
stepped after the adoption of the National Policy of Education and Programme of Action,
1986. Enrolment at the primary level went up from 19.2 million (5.4 million girls) in
1950 to 130.8 million (61.1 m girls) in 2004-054 . In the 1990s the number of schools
increased by 14.8 per cent at the primary level, 50.65 per cent at the upper primary
level, 38.43 per cent at the secondary level and 85.74 per cent at the higher secondary
level5 . However, these impressive achievements need to be tempered in the light of the
high drop-out rates which stand at 29.0 per cent (24.42 per cent girls) at the primary
level, 50.84 per cent (51.28 per cent girls) at the elementary level and 61.92 per cent
(63.88 per cent girls) at the secondary level;6
● Provide alternative education programmes to reach out to out-of-school children (never
enrolled and drop-outs) — through bridge courses, residential schools and focussed
initiatives for minorities and special focus groups (migrant groups, etc);

● Appoint more women teachers in rural areas and provide them with secure residential
accommodation. Expand the pool of women teachers by lowering qualifications, provide
intensive training (near the place of dwelling), among others;

● Improve the quality of education and motivate teachers to make learning a joyful
exercise;
(Source: ----------------------------------
2. This has been adapted from Vimala Ramachandran, 1997
3. Annual Report DWCD, MHRD, GOI, 2005
4. GOI, SES, 2006
5. NCERT 6th and 7th Educational Survey
6. GOI, SES, 2006)
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