EDUCATE A CHILD INITIATIVE PROGRAM OUR RIGHT TO LEARN PROJECT

REPORT TO SUPPORT REVIEW OF THE NATIONAL SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY

AND GUIDELINES

AT THE LUKE HOTEL -THIKA FROM 7TH TO 11THE NOV, 2016 UNDER THE
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SENSITIZATION TRAINING

Report by: David Mbuvi

11/16/2016
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BACKGROUD INFORMATION
Girl Child Network (GCN) is a Network of 312 organizations working to improve the status of children in
Kenya with special emphasis on the education of the girl child. GCN is implementing Educate A Child
Initiative (EACI) -Our Right to Learn Project. The project goal is to ensure a total of 31,350 marginalized
children access quality primary education in 3 targeted counties (Tana River, Kajiado and Garissa) by the
year 2016. The overall, goal of EACI is to increase access, retention, participation, performance and
transition of girls in primary education in these identified target areas. In achieving this, the project will
have three multi-faceted objectives namely; sensitization and empowerment duty bearers to meet their
obligation as expressed in key MOE policies and guidelines; promote community support and
engagement in girl child and inclusive education as a basic right in the targeted counties by 2016; and
lastly promote gender-friendly and inclusive learning environment in 120 schools by 2016.

Rationale
The overall project goal is to increase access, retention, participation, performance and transition of girls
in primary education in Kenya. The first objective of EAC program is to sensitize and empower duty
bearers, in the three target counties, to meet their obligations with respect to the right of every child to
quality basic education as articulated in key MOE policies and guidelines. They will consequently support
the realization of gender friendly and inclusive schools. Local government official are the primary target
group as duty bearer. This will enhance the physical and cognitive development in children.

To realize this objective, there is need to have clear policy and legal frameworks embedded in the Basic
Education Act 2013. One of such policies is the National School Health Policy 2009. The policy enables
the government to improve opportunities for girls and boys to equal access to education, retention,
inclusion, equality and completion. This policy its under review. Its on this premise, GCN supported the
review process at the national level where policy makers, government offfials will reveiew the policy and
guidelines. This will ensure the government officials, as duty bearers, have a clear policy that will greatly
ensure the right of every child to quality basic education as articulated in key MOE policies and
guidelines is sustainable. To this extend GCN was invited to make presentation in the various Technical
Working Groups and review process of the National School Health policy. GCN was further requested by
the government, to support the week long forum.

The forums targeted key policy makers at the national level and other Non-Government Actors on
Health and Education for an appropriate policy. GCN however, supported or rather contributed towards
the meeting facilitation. The meeting enabled policy makers and select CSOs participate and supported
National Technical Working groups on: Water, Sanitation and hygienee (WASH); Disease prevention and
Control; Child Rights, Child protection and Respsonsbilities; Special needs, Disablity and Rehabilaiations;
Schools infrsatructure and Envirnmental safety and legal frameworks. Particioants engaged government
officials at the national level to review relevant education specify legal frameworks and policies, and
county specific plans towards girls and boy access to quality education.

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The meeting was held at the Luke Hotel on 7th to 10th November 2016, in Nairobi. GCN was represented
by David Mbuvi, Project Coordinator EACI program. A total of 26 participants attended the forum, 20
from key Ministries directly responsible for the drafting and implementation of the policy.

THE PROCESS
The meeting started with a word of prayer, followed by individual interdictions. The introduction mainly
meant to be an ice breaker involved ones organization or place of work, how they are involved in the
SHP and brief of their work.

The objectives of the forum were discussed.

Situational analysis
Mr Karani, Head of School Health Coordinator, Neonatal, Child & Adolescent Health Unit, Division of
Family Health, Ministry of Health, took participants through a situational analysis of the School health
Policy 2009, a study commissioned early this year. Key issues include:
The policy has not been implemented in most schools in Kenya
Most schools lack first aid kits. The schools with these kits, majority not equipped
Physical education and activities in most schools optional
The registration of schools must adhere to set Public Health guidelines however, this is not the
case in most schools; they lack adequate physical amenities
Snacks and hawking reported in most schools compromising of food safety among learners
The snacks learners are bring with them to school mainly unbalanced and not of recommended
nutritive values
School milk program started in Mombasa and Migori. The plans to cascade this in the other 45
counties in Kenya
Special needs policy review underway
School infrastructure in most schools not conducive to learning
Need for a SHP secretariat to oversee and coordinate the implementation of the policy
Need to rethink Basic Health Policy for learners in schools
Need for health checkups before a learner enrolled in schools
Link between Ministry of Education grass root officers and systems and Ministry of Health
Strengthen School health Clubs. Any partner in these schools build on these clubs over starting
new ones since based on the 8 thematic areas of the SHP
School safety factored in the schools curriculum
The National TWGs should develop a set of school health related IEC materials and charts cover
all the thematic areas.
All IEC materials distributed to schools should take cognizance of children with visual
impairments
Head teachers and members of schools boards should priorities the following interventions in
schools
Provisions of soap for hand washing placed at critical areas

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 Provision of disposals facilities for menstrual hygiene management kits in schools

In addition to the policy and administrative recommendations above, below is an emphasis of the
recommendations:
In Kenya, improving the health of school children is a critical in the development of the next generation
human capital and workforce. Therefore, to achieve this:

Establishment of a School Health Secretariat under the auspices of Non-Governmental Organizations

remains a priority. The following are recommended to provide support in the establishment of the
Secretariat: UNICEF, World Food Programme and the World Health Organization
There is need to improve on coordination of school health programmes in schools. There is a
huge variety of agencies and interventions that remain uncoordinated with some of the
interventions being experimental in nature. There is need to substantially improve coordination.
As a result, each County should develop a 4W Matrix Who /What/Where of all agencies
implementing School Health
A three tier Minimum Progressive Package (MPP) Bronze, Silver and Gold for each of the
Thematic Areas should be developed by stakeholders. This is important for rationalization,
addressing aspects of duration, quality and quantity in implementation. An integrated school
health response is highly recommended
The current content of the School Health Programming is comprehensive. Areas that need
strengthening include the Value System; Behaviour Change and Communication; and
Coordination. This comes in the wake of the ongoing arson attacks and destruction in Secondary
Schools.
Emerging issues include disposal of E-waste, the Zika virus and Ebola

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 Mr Karani presenting the situational Analysis

Policy review process

In line with the situational analysis, the team was divided into the various thematic areas of the policy as
follows:
Disease Prevention and Control
Nutrition
Gender; Values and life skills; and child rights
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene; school infrastructure
Special Needs ad Disability
Each group was to:
Identify existing gaps in the various thematic areas
Address emerging issues
Make proposals to the relevant provisions in the policy
Present their work to the team for harmonization, further inputs and recommendations

GCN shared a policy brief on Non Communicable Disease under Disease Prevention and Controls. The
recommendations were appreciated and factored in the review process. Some of the gaps include:

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 The need for clear provision for physical education in our learning institutions which has led to
inactivity among adolescents and young people
No Specific provision on school safety. Most schools are not fenced or in the midst of a human
settlements. There is an increase in mushrooming income generating activities in and around
the schools. This makes it hard for school management
The school Curriculum has no specific emphasis on NCDs as it does for HIV and life skills, for
instance.
Lack of specific government provision in investments and resource allocation for the policy
The policy need to be harmonized with the Basic Education Act 2013. This will ensure the
various education governance structures under the BEA 2013 are mandated to implement the
policy

In order to address these key gaps, GCN shared her proposed recommendations which include:
On the main introduction in the policy under NCD session, have a sessions stating: This policy
aims: to reduce incidences of NCDs among the learners/adolescents and the youth in Kenya; and
to improve health and well-being, length of life and productivity together with a reduction in
long term health care costs of non-communicable diseases in Kenya.
Schools shall make appropriate measures to ensure physical education to all learners
Education governance systems under Basic Education Act 2013 shall ensure all schools are
gender friendly for all learners
NCD will be mainstreamed in the schools curriculum
The government shall make specific provision in investments and resource allocation for the
policy implementation
The policy will be implemented as per the provisions of the Basic Education 2013 provision and
other relevant legal and policy frameworks on education in Kenya

The meeting had representatives from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of
Information Communication and Technology, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development,
Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources.
The policy makers agreed to the fact that these were key gaps in the policy. They promised to factor
them in the review of the policy even though the recommendations, due to the holistic approach in
addressing NCDs, will be appropriately inputted in the various thematic areas not necessarily under
Disease prevention and Control thematic area.

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 Participants follow through TWG presentations

The groups shared their inputs into the policy, as in the attached document below.

National School
Health Policy 2009- Draft 1 from The Luke Forum Version 2016..docx

CONCLUSION
The four days meeting provided an opportunity to have clear policy provisions on schools health in basic
education in Kenya. The review process will ensure the policy enables the government to improve
opportunities for girls and boys to equal access to education, retention, inclusion, equality and
completion. The meeting further provided an aopportunity for a consultative forum for policy makers
local govrenment officioals to ensure ensure the right of every child to quality basic education as
articulated in key MOE policies and guidelines is sustainable.

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The four days saw the team develop the first draft of the reviewed policy. Its upon this policy,
developed from the draft proposed by the consultant:
Will be review by the relevant stakeholders both government and non-government represented
in this meeting and give further feedback
Shared with the other key internal stakeholders (for this phase) for inputs
In less than two weeks have a day meeting for further inputs and revise
Shared upon further inputs with other county and related stakeholders for approval
The rest of the process will follow after approval i.e.:
o Validation workshop
o Printing of the copies of the policy
o Dissemination across the nation and counties of the policy
o Draft the guidelines in line with the policy

Dr Nyamai addressing the participants