Title: The role of Health Extension Practitioners in the school programme
Course: Health Education, Advocacy and Community Mobilisation Part 1 - Ethiopia (Full)

The role of Health Extension Practitioners in the school programme

The role of the Health Extension Practitioner includes being a care provider health educator, consultant, and counsellor. She collaborates with students, parents, administrators, and other health and social service professionals regarding a student's health problems. Thus, you need to be knowledgeable about the area and local regulations affecting school-age children, such as rules for excluding students from school because of communicable diseases, or parasites such as lice or scabies.

The Health Extension Practitioner is also a health education consultant for teachers. In addition to providing information on health practices, teaching health classes, or participating in the development of the health education curriculum, the Health Extension Practitioner educates the teacher and class when one of the students has a special problem, a disability or a disease such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Why should you carry out comprehensive school health education in school settings?

Show answer

The purpose of carrying out comprehensive school health education is to maintain and improve the health of school students (Figure 11.9), and make sure that ill health doesn't affect their development or their school achievement. Look back at Box 11.6 for the details of the range of health education activity which is important in schools.

Figure 11.9 There are always opportunities in the school environment to teach important health messages. (Photo: Ali Wyllie)