The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Education jointly organized the "Health Promoting School Feature Award Program." On June 28th, they held a joint results presentation ceremony. This year (2023), the program awarded the following honors: 3 schools received the Gold Award, 5 schools received the Silver Award, 14 schools received the Bronze Award, 5 schools received the Promotion Award, and 20 schools received the Special Feature Award. Among them, the "Excellent Gold Award" was presented to Xizhi Elementary School in New Taipei City, Sinhua Elementary School in Tainan City, and Padan Asang School in Kaohsiung City. Deputy Minister Wang Bi-sheng from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Deputy Minister Lin Ming-yu from the Ministry of Education jointly advocated for promoting the core standards of the new generation Health Promoting School, internalizing healthy behaviors, and thereby influencing families and communities.
Deputy Minister Wang Bi-sheng of the Ministry of Health and Welfare expressed hope that Taiwan's Health Promoting School can achieve sustainable development through inter-departmental cooperation between education and health sectors. This effort aims to ensure children's healthy and joyful growth, and to make 'health' a way of life belief. Together, they strive to create a healthy campus environment and aspire for every school to become a high-quality Health Promoting School!
Since 2002, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Welfare have jointly signed the "Health Promoting School Project," committing to promoting health in schools. As of 2023, a total of 4,019 schools nationwide, including elementary, junior high, senior high, and vocational schools, have participated. The project addresses various health issues such as physical fitness, vision care, oral health, tobacco and betel nut control, sex education (including HIV prevention), and national health insurance (including medication safety).
To enhance health promoting among Taiwanese children and adolescents, the "Health Promoting School Feature Award Program" adopts the "International Standards for Health Promoting School" proposed by the World Health Organization and UNESCO in 2021. It integrates key elements of current Taiwan's Health Promoting Schools to develop a new generation of standards. These standards include achieving government resources and policies, school policies toward whole-school approach, school community and stakeholder engagement, school and community partnerships, school curriculum incorporates health and well-being, school physical environment, school social-emotional environment, and school health services and resources. These eight standards serve as core criteria for selecting excellence awards.
The Excellence Awards are based on three data indicators: the proportion of students with normal body weight, the rate of poor visual acuity, and the untreated dental caries rate in specific grades, which are recommended for participation by elementary, junior high, or senior high schools performing above their county or city averages for the 2019 and 2020 school years. In this year's results announcement, 16 counties and cities nominated schools for Excellence Awards and Special Awards (Community Partner Award, Innovative Curriculum Award, Environmental Support Award, Health Service Award), with a total of 92 schools participating. Among them, 47 schools received awards, and recognition was given to 11 county and city education units and health units for their joint efforts in promoting schools, education, and health outcomes.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Education encourage schools at all levels to participate in the Health Promoting School Feature Award Program. They provide diverse support environments tailored to each school's characteristics, aiming to promote the cultivation of healthy lifestyles together. This initiative aims to create healthier campus environments and achieve sustainable development in building health-promoting schools.
