Seri Mulia Sarjana School and Chung Ching Middle School have emerged as the first place winners in the primary and secondary school categories of the ‘Health Promotion School Initiative Programme (HPSI): Growing, Learning, Optimising Towards Better Well-being in School (GLOW)’. The award ceremony was held at Al-‘Afiah Hall of the Ministry of Health (MoH), organized by the Health Promotion Centre (HPC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MoE) and support from Gleneagles JPMC.
Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Secondary School came in second in the secondary school category. Meanwhile, Chung Hwa Middle School, Kuala Belait took second place in the primary school category and Tunas Jaya PGGMB School Madang was placed third. Stella’s School Brunei took home the consolation prize. The awards were presented by the guests of honour, Permanent Secretary at the MoH Haji Maswadi bin Haji Mohsin and Acting Permanent Secretary (Core Education) at the MoE Aliuddin bin Haji Abdul Rahman.
The programme, implemented in Brunei-Muara and Belait districts with the participation of six selected private schools, was held from March to October. HPC medical officer Dr. Norzawani binti Ishak, as the programme manager, highlighted the importance of a ‘health promoting school’ and the positive effects it can have on the overall well-being of students.
According to Dr. Norzawani, health promoting schools are institutions that strengthen their capacity as safe and healthy settings for living, learning, and working. They use a whole-of-school approach to promote health and educational achievements by creating a conducive learning environment. This approach has shown to have positive effects on health, including increasing physical activity, improving nutrition, and reducing school violence and substance abuse.
During the event, tokens of appreciation were presented to Jerudong International School Director of Enrichment and Operations Justin Harris and Taib bin Haji Alikhan from the MoE’s Curriculum Development Department for their contributions to the programme. Seri Mulia Sarjana School’s primary and pre-school principal Putri Maharani also shared the experiences and successes of the programme at their school.
The guests of honour also had the opportunity to tour an exhibition showcasing the activities implemented as part of the programme. The exhibition highlighted the various initiatives taken by the participating schools to promote health and well-being among their students.
Overall, the ‘Health Promotion School Initiative Programme’ has been a success in promoting a healthy and conducive learning environment in schools. The recognition and awards received by Seri Mulia Sarjana School and Chung Ching Middle School are a testament to their dedication and efforts in prioritizing the well-being of their students. The collaboration between the MoH, MoE, and other stakeholders has been instrumental in driving this initiative forward and ensuring the holistic development of students in Brunei.