WHO guideline on school health services

Schools are essential for young people to acquire knowledge, socioemotional skills including selfregulation and resilience, and critical thinking skills that provide the foundation for a healthy future. Access to education and safe and supportive school environments have been linked to better health outcomes. In turn, good health is linked to reduced drop-out rates and greater educational attainment, educational performance, employment and productivity.

School health services (SHS), as defined in this guideline, are services provided by a health worker to students enrolled in primary or secondary education, either within school premises or in a health service situated outside the school. Most countries have some form of SHS, but many such programmes currently are not evidence-based, are not implemented well, are underfunded and/or are delivered with limited reach and scope. In all WHO regions, school-age children and adolescents (those aged 5–19 years) experience a range of largely preventable health problems, including unintentional injury, interpersonal violence, sexual and reproductive health issues, communicable diseases, noncommunicable diseases and mental health issues. In addition, school-age children and adolescents have positive physical, sexual, psychosocial and neurocognitive health and development needs as they progress from childhood to adulthood. The need for quality health care for 5–19-year-olds is great, but globally the quality of health services for them are variable and coverage is limited. Schools offer a unique opportunity to implement effective health services at scale for children and adolescents.