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SCHOOL HEALTH PROJECT FOR KIDS AND MOMS

THE CENTER COORDINATED THE launch of the school health project “TAO Kiddie Pamana sa Kabataan” on November 18, 203 in Malabon Central School, an elementary school in northern Metro Manila. The project is a collaborative effort of SEAMEO INNOTECH, the families of Malabon, the Philippine Department of Education, NGOs and the business sector. It is an urgent and timely response to the Education for All challenge of according first priority to providing stronger and broader day-care services and programs on proper child health care and nutrition. The EFA challenge also promotes a grand alliance among government and non-government organizations to support early child care and development that includes a full range of health, nutrition, psychosocial and early education services for children up to six years old.

The Pamana project aims to enable schoolchildren to attain their optimum growth and development and full potential for learning. Its specific objectives include the development of desirable health values and behavior among children, provision of supplementary feeding and health services and enhancing capabilities of mothers and health care providers in delivering health care services. The Project’s relevance is even more compelling when a second look is made at the current state of health and nutrition among the pre-school and school children in Malabon which shows that:

• Out of 1,867 preschoolers assessed for nutrition status, 16 % were below normal in weight and 15% were short in height for their age;

• Out of 17,072 Grade 1 pupils assessed, 22% were below normal in weight and 20% were below normal in height for their age;

• Out of 81,129 Pre-school and Grades 1-6 pupils assessed, 23% were below normal in weight.

Common diseases/defects found among the children in Malabon are dental caries, enlarged glands, impacted cerumen, pediculosis, respiratory ailments, tonsillitis, inflamed throat, otitis media, tinea flava and scabies.

This alarming health profile reveals the fact that children in Malabon-Navoras are not spared of diseases that can affect a child’s preparedness for schooling. A lack of clear government support also contributes to this discrepancy despite existing laws on child welfare.

Studies have shown that children provided with early childhood care perform better in school, are able to finish schooling, have longer attention span, and are more active at work.

Sen. Oreta believes that health and education are intertwined. It is from this belief that Project TAO Kiddie PAMANA was conceived to allow families to take positive action in improving their own state of health, thus contributing towards better learning outcomes for their children and increasing productivity among families in the community.

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