The Health Bureau (SSM) and Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) have jointly conducted a health promotion training course for teachers, aiming to embed health concepts across campuses and strengthen students’ physical and mental well-being, according to an SSM statement on Tuesday.
The course forms a part of a broader push to align with the “Action Plan for a Healthy Macau” and the local government’s policy directions of early intervention, resource allocation, and mindset transformation, the statement said.
Through cross-department collaboration and community engagement, the local authorities continue to expand the “healthy community” initiative, with schools identified as key platforms for cultivating health awareness among young people, the statement noted.
Running from this month to November, the programme includes eight sessions, with the first conducted last Saturday, the statement added.
According to the statement, the sessions adopt a small-class interactive format, incorporating scenario simulations, group discussions, and practical exercises, in which topics cover a wide range of health-related areas, including smoking and alcohol reduction, a balanced diet, regular exercise, sleep habits, mental health, disease screening, chronic illness management, and vaccination.
The statement underlined that participants also receive hands-on training in measuring key health indicators such as blood pressure, blood glucose, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI). Upon completion, teachers are expected to integrate these health aspects into daily teaching and campus activities, helping students develop self-management skills and healthier lifestyles.
Meanwhile, the statement said that teachers play a vital role in shaping students’ habits and attitudes. Building on previous collaboration with the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) in community health promotion training, this year’s programme focuses specifically on schools, the statement noted, adding that teachers who complete the training may organise health-themed activities and workshops, extending health awareness to students and parents while strengthening the overall “healthy campus” culture.
In order to further translate training outcomes into action, the statement outlined eight key healthy behaviours for children and adolescents, namely avoiding tobacco and alcohol, maintaining a balanced diet, engaging in at least one hour of daily physical activity, ensuring sufficient sleep, nurturing mental well-being, participating in regular health screenings, managing chronic conditions, and keeping up with recommended vaccinations.
The Health Bureau said it will continue working with the city’s education sector and civil society to advance the “healthy campus” initiative, positioning teachers as promoters of health and enabling students and families to adopt proactive health management practices, in line with the vision of building a “healthy and happy Macau”, the statement noted.
This unlocated handout photo provided by the Health Bureau (SSM) on Tuesday shows teachers learning how to measure glucose using their fingertips and to understand the importance of monitoring glucose levels, during their health promotion training course last Saturday.
