94% of all deaths in Albania are caused by NCDs. Most of them are preventable if a healthy lifestyle is practiced by the population within a supportive environment that make the healthier choice easier.

Children, parents, and teachers show a higher interest on COVID 19 and NCDs, as people with pre-existinghealth conditions are more vulnerable.

The health promotion system is weak with limited resources worsened by COVID 19 health crisis.

Cross-sectoral cooperation is poor. Some fragmented initiatives on healthy schools are suspended due to COVID 19.

All schoolchildren (320’000) 6 - 15 years, and their families will benefit from increased access to health education and health promotion interventions.

All teachers (25’000) and health promotion specialists at local level, will benefit from capacity development measures and establishment of innovative health promoting models.

Ministries of health and education and their affiliated institutions will be capacitated to advance school health agenda in an intersectoral approach.

1) Schoolchildren, their families and communities at large have the necessary skills and knowledge to prevent behavioural risk factors for NCDs

2) Teachers and school authorities promote healthy behaviours and engage in setting an enabling framework in schools

3) Central and local government promote health in an inter-sectoral approach based on evidence, new standards and guidelines.

Expected Results:  

• Improvement of curricula on NCDs prevention, mental, health, sexual and reproductive health, hygiene with a particular focus on COVID 19 prevention, waste management and environmental health for all schools, including capacity building for children, parents and teachers.
• Strengthening of schools’ capacities on health promotion through trained teachers, directors, and parents’ councils.
• Usage of digital tools for health applications for children, parents, teachers and health personnel in schools.

Results from previous phase:  

• A comprehensive baseline assessment of all schools and a thorough stakeholder assessment analysing potential partners.
• A participatory process for selection of 120 (11% of total) schools for in – depth interventions.
• A complete risk assessment and elaboration of mitigation measures for all types of risks.
• Analysis of the context regarding gender inequalities and discrimination. Establishing of key indicators.