Her Majesty Queen Rania on Sunday joined the Royal Health
Awareness Society’s (RHAS) Capacity Building Open Day, where 375 Jordanian
principals and teachers took part in a number of health-related workshops and
interactive sessions, a statement by Her Majesty’s Office said.The event was
organized in recognition of the 108 schools that received the Healthy Schools
National Accreditation for the 2016-2017 academic year, with the aim of
improving awareness of health-conscious practices among educators.
Accompanied by RHAS Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Rami Farraj, and RHAS Director General Hanin Odeh, Her Majesty stopped by
several workshops focusing on effective change management, school nutrition
programs, utilization of health education technologies and the role of physical
activity in preventing diseases. Educators also took part in sessions on
subjects including time management, community mobilization and enhancing
schools’ roles in tobacco control.
The event included a ceremony attended by Minister of
Education Omar Razzaz, celebrating last year’s recipients of the Healthy
Schools National Accreditation, 17 of whom received the gold accreditation, 30
the silver, and 61 the bronze. In addition, eight schools were awarded “Health
Competency” status, allowing them to reenroll in the program for the next
academic year.
In an address, Odeh reaffirmed RHAS’ commitment to helping
transform schools into healthier education environments, and highlighted the
benefits of joining Healthy Schools and actively participating in its events
and programs.
Established by RHAS in 2008, Healthy Schools is a national
accreditation program implemented in partnership with the ministries of health
and education. Focusing on public and preventive health education, the program
aims to create health-promoting environments within Jordanian schools,
reflecting positively on student’s physical and social development, as well as
their academic performance.
To date, the program has trained 1,800 teachers and
principals on national health standards, and 77 health initiatives have been
implemented with the support of the schools’ community members.
RHAS, an initiative of the Queen Rania Foundation for
Education and Development, was established in 2005 to promote health awareness
and empower Jordanians to adopt healthy lifestyles and behaviors. Targeting
schoolchildren, youth and the community at large, RHAS aims to instill the
foundations of preventive healthcare, which ultimately contributes to the
well-being and safety of Jordanian society.