At a national workshop in Ha Noi on 11 August 2026, UNESCO shared international evidence and policy experience on school health and nutrition as Viet Nam begins implementing its School Health Programme for 2026–2035.
Speaking at the workshop “Partnerships, Shaping the Future for a Healthy Viet Nam”, Jenelle Babb, Regional Advisor on Education for Health and Well-being at the UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok and Office for UN Coordination in Asia and the Pacific, highlighted a central lesson from international experience: learners’ health, nutrition and well-being are closely linked to their ability to participate in and benefit from education.
The workshop, organized by the Ministry of Education and Training, brought together government representatives, education stakeholders, experts and partners to discuss school health, nutrition, communication and the mobilization of resources for implementation of Viet Nam’s new School Health Programme.
Health and learning are closely connected
Global evidence presented by UNESCO shows measurable links between school health interventions and education outcomes. School feeding programmes can increase enrolment by up to 9 per cent and attendance by up to 8 per cent. In low-income countries, handwashing infrastructure has been associated with reductions in student absenteeism of more than 61 per cent.
These programmes can also represent an efficient public investment. According to evidence presented at the workshop, school feeding can generate an estimated US$9 in returns for every US$1 invested, while school-based programmes addressing mental health may generate considerably higher long-term returns.
A central theme of UNESCO’s presentation was the Health-Promoting Schools approach, developed and promoted internationally by WHO, UNESCO and UNICEF.
A health-promoting school makes sustained efforts to create a safe and healthy environment for teaching, learning and working. In practice, this requires health and well-being to be incorporated into the way education systems and schools operate. This includes leadership, financing, curriculum and teaching methods, teacher preparation, school management and the measures used to assess institutional performance.
UNESCO therefore highlighted the importance of a whole-school and whole-system approach. Under this model, what students learn in the classroom is reinforced through school policies, relationships, extracurricular activities, school leadership and cooperation with families and communities.
Opportunities for Viet Nam
UNESCO identified several areas that could support Viet Nam as it moves from policy commitments towards implementation.
One priority is to establish or strengthen intersectoral governance with clear roles and accountability. Babb also stressed that schools should not be treated simply as delivery points for isolated health interventions or as extensions of the health workforce. School health and nutrition programmes should support the core purpose of education and be designed in ways that strengthen teaching, learning and learner development.
READ MORE: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-shares-international-experience-advance-school-health-and-nutrition-viet-nam?hub=701
