Organisational and Administrative
Principles of Health Education


The understanding of health education will be aided by a review of certain facts and principles which underline the development and administrative conduct of  theprogramme.
 
One's Health is determined by both one's  heredity and one's mode of living. 

Because of differences in constitution two children with the same programme of living do not maintain the same level of health. Neither teachers nor children should expect health education to produce uniform health. A particular individual, however, will have health and greater efficiency with good habitation with person.
 
Health education is the joint responsibility of the home and school and more directly of the  community. 

The School should not be expected to supplant the home. At school, the child should be provided opportunities to find support for the programme of healthful living which is being taught at home. Unfortunately, many children are not adequately taught healthful living at home; and the responsibility for health education rests largely with the institution. In such cases, an institution should attempt to influence the homes through the means at its disposal. 

Health education is by and large in the hands  of the class-room teachers at the elementary school stage. 

In dealing with the modification of habits, importance of repetition should be recognised. Children will form habits not by learning a fact but by doing things repeatedly with satisfactory results. The class room teacher is the only member of school personnel who is with a small group of pupil sufficiently capable to carry through a programme of habit training; and give day-to-day support to the health practices carried out at home. Nevertheless, the principal, nurse, doctor dentist, custodian and others make a very important contribution by example, and by availing every opportunity for incidental teaching.
 
Health education must be accepted and fostered by the administrative authorities of     the second as a part of the educational programme if it is to succeed. 

It is almost impossible for a teacher to develop a real health education programme without the support of the principal, general supervisors and the superintendent or inspection of education; and physical education and health. It is certainly impossible for a teacher to develop a well organised programme without such support. Certain phases of