School Health

Home Schools

Healthy schools help
young people thrive.

Jamaica Moves in Schools supports school communities to make movement, healthy choices and well-being part of everyday school life.

A school courtyard with green and yellow buildings and hills in the backgroundA boy in a Jamaica Moves shirt with his arms raised
IN SCHOOLS

Jamaica Moves in Schools is a collaborative health-and-education initiative designed to strengthen healthy lifestyle practices among students and create school environments that support well-being. It promotes increased physical activity, healthier food choices, greater awareness of NCD risk and a whole-school approach to health.

The programme recognises that healthy students are better positioned to participate, learn and develop. It also recognises that school health is not the responsibility of students alone: policies, staff practices, food environments, physical spaces, families, health services and community partnerships all contribute.

What a healthy school can support

A healthy school makes movement, nutritious food and drink, and practical health education part of everyday learning. It creates a safe, inclusive environment where students feel supported and can access school-linked health services or appropriate referrals.

Strong relationships among students, staff, families, health services and the wider community help sustain this approach, backed by school leadership and policies that put health and well-being into daily practice.

School events

Wellness throughout the school day

Move throughout the school day

  • Schools can make movement part of the day through physical education, active breaks, dance, games, sport, walking, structured activity sessions and other age-appropriate opportunities.
  • The goal is to create a culture in which movement is normal, inclusive and enjoyable.

Eat well at school

  • Healthy school environments can reinforce Jamaica's national dietary guidance by increasing access to nutritious foods and water, supporting healthier choices and reducing routine exposure to foods and drinks high in added sugars, salt and unhealthy fats.

Know your health

  • School wellness should also build students' understanding of health and risk.
  • Appropriate screening, referral, health education and links to health services can help identify concerns early and encourage young people and families to make informed decisions.

National School Moves Day

National School Moves Day is a flagship observance under Jamaica Moves in Schools. It encourages schools across Jamaica to dedicate time to structured physical activity and to demonstrate creative, inclusive ways to integrate movement into school life.

Bring students, teachers, staff and families together through games, dance, sport, active breaks and inclusive movement activities. Use the day as a starting point for regular movement throughout the school year.

How can my school participate?

Contact HPE or your Regional Health Authority to register your school’s interest, ask about current planning resources and connect with the health-promotion team in your region. Identify a school wellness focal point to help coordinate participation.

Looking for something?

Find resources, stories, events and programmes.