• Ramsey Msheliza Yalma

ABSTRACT Introduction: A comprehensive school health programme is an integrated set of planned, sequential, school-affiliated strategies, activities and services designed to promote the optimal physical, emotional, social, and educational development of students. Teachers play a major role in the promotion and successful implementation of the programme. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of school health programme (SHP) among primary school teachers in Gwagwalada Area Council Abuja, Nigeria. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out. A sample size of 257 was studied. A cluster sampling technique was used to select the schools. Data was collected by means of self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire. Demographic variables and associations were tested using Chi squared tests with the level of statistical significance set at p<0.05. Results: About 246 respondents completed the survey where overall, 99.2% had good knowledge on SHP. A high proportion of teachers in public schools had good knowledge (100%) compared to (98.6%) of respondents in private schools (p =0.228). The knowledge on SHP increases significantly with teaching experience and respondents having above 5 years of teaching experience all having 100% knowledge compared to 98% of good knowledge observed in respondents with below 5 years teaching experience (p<0.0001). About 83.33% of teachers in both public and private schools had positive attitudes to SHP. However, teachers in the private schools had a better attitude of 87.4% compared to 77.7% in public schools (p = 0.043). The practice of the components of SHP was generally poor. For example, our study revealed that about 37.9% practice open defecation in the public schools and there was absence of hand washing facilities in 66% of public schools and 42.3% of private school (χ2 = 93.434, p = 0.0001). Pre-school medical examination was reported in only 43.9% of all the schools studied and majority were the private primary schools (58.7%). Also most of the schools studied (67.1%) do not conduct periodic medical examinations for pupils. Conclusion: There was good knowledge of SHP and positive attitude of teachers towards SHP. However, the practice of most components of SHP was generally poor, especially in public schools that reported poor toilet and hand washing facilities. Therefore, concerted efforts by all stakeholders are required to ensure that the minimum standards for setting up schools as contained in the national school health policy are fulfilled and this should include source of portable water and provision of toilet and hand washing facilities as well as the required medical examinations.

Key words: School health programme, teachers, primary school, knowledge, attitude, practice

"Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of School Health Programme among Primary School Teachers in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja Nigeria", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.8, Issue 4, page no.530-546, April-2021, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2104168.pdf

"Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of School Health Programme among Primary School Teachers in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja Nigeria", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.8, Issue 4, page no. pp530-546, April-2021, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2104168.pdf