Chandigarh school students to get first health education centre

Chandigarh: Aiming to revolutionize health education for students, the education department is set to launch Chandigarh health education centre at GHS, Sector 22, in December.The Government of India has approved Rs 50 lakh for the project in the financial year 2024-2025, with a potential additional Rs. 1.2 crore to be considered next year based on the project’s progress.The origins of this centre date back to 2018, when an MoU was signed between the Chandigarh administration and the Rotary International Club. In 2020, the project was moved to the education department. In Jan 2024, the education department presented it as an innovative idea to the Government of India, and it was approved as the first-of-its-kind project under the Samagra Shiksha scheme with an initial funding of Rs 50 lakh for 2024-25.As per the information, the Rotary Club is providing equipment and training worth around Rs 1 crore. The engineering department has approved around Rs 71 lakh for renovation, funded by the school education department's budgetary head and the finance department, UT, has accorded concurrence to the department to meet recurring expenditure such as wages of the staff (28 numbers) of around Rs. 1.04 crore per annum from the school education department budget. The curriculum and training schedules for the health centre and teachers will be prepared in consultation with the director of health services, Chandigarh, and Rotary Club, with staff training to be completed by Oct 2024.Centre's focusDirector of school education Harsuhinder Brar said, “The tender has been finalised, and construction is set to commence in a few days, with a targeted starting date of Dec 1. Our current curriculum often overlooks critical aspects of health education, and this initiative aims to fill that void. By incorporating advanced technology like hologram displays and interactive mannequins, we not only enhance the learning experience but also address the emotional and mental well-being of our students. This centre represents a significant step towards creating a more comprehensive and joyful educational environment."The centre will focus on general health, oral health, nutrition/physical activity, drug/alcohol/tobacco prevention, pregnancy/STI prevention, and social/emotional health.All students aged 8 to 16 (3rd to 10th grade) will be required to visit the centre at least once a year, free of charge. This Health Education Centre shall include the display of information through models, displays, holograms and other media. The master trainers will engage with interactive displays and attend health education lectures by experts.
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