Building capacity of teachers to integrate health topics into their lesson plans and teaching practices was the aim of this project – then called School Health Promotion. This started in 2005 and took place at the Provincial and Regional Teacher Training Centres of Battambang. By training the trainers and trainees at pre-service level, the acquired knowledge and skills are directly transferred to the staff of the primary and lower secondary application schools, resulting in promoting improved health at these schools.
Health education at work through role play
As one of the results of the project, four manuals for teacher trainers and teachers were developed, covering hygiene, addiction, sexuality and reproductive health, first aid and road safety, mental health, health education methodology, and school health management. Teaching materials corresponding with these topics were also developed.
During mid-term the project was remodelled into targeting specifically the teacher trainers on subjects that already include health education components. It was renamed to ‘Strengthening Health Education’ and focused increasingly on the integration of a selection of the modules into the curriculum of the Teacher Training Centres. The project continued with the capacity building of teacher trainers of biology and home economics at the Regional and Provincial Teacher Training Centres. It also achieved donor coordination by networking with national health organisations and with health departments of international donors.
The project was handed over to the partners at the end of 2010.
