1. If there is a canteen, permit sale of healthy food like fruits or fruit juices. School authorities should be aware as to what is being sold for consumption immediately outside school and permit only those selling healthy eatables or low fat and healthy snacks.
2. Provide for safe drinking water.
3. Provide for examination and treatment of students with poor health conditions, bad teeth and weak vision. Organise health checks for them.
4. Organise variety of co-curricular activities, and ensure participation of maximum number of students, and training them leadership as well as team spirit.
5. Organise interclass sport and games competitions and finally, a sport day and prize distribution for encouragement.
6. Include a games period every working day in the time table.
7. Seek and insist on cooperation of parents so that even guardians who have not learnt social skills and have unhealthy habits may learn through their participation. It shall be community service by the school and a means to encourage everyone to undertake healthy living.
8. Have events for teaching and non teaching staff and allow voluntary participation in games using school equipment.
9. Have experts for teaching Yoga, Taekwondo, Judo and Karate for self-defense and utilise school premises for the same.
10. Schools can have activities involving children to learn to love and respect all living beings, plants and animals.
11. Encourage team games, ‘House system’ should be adopted, which helps children to interact with students of other classes too.
12. Organise periodic slide shows or movies with valuable messages.
In this manner students, teachers, parents and community will realise the benefits of being physically, mentally and socially healthy. And what a great way it will be to build a healthy nation!
