Implementation of the School Health Programme in Federal Government Colleges in the South East Zone

The comprehensive school health programme provides a coordinated framework for promoting the physical, mental, and social health of students within the school environment. This study examines the implementation of the school health programme in federal government colleges in the South East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, encompassing Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Abia, and Ebonyi States. A descriptive survey design was adopted, with data collected from 10 federal government colleges through structured questionnaires administered to health tutors, house masters, and school principals, alongside document reviews and environmental health audits. Implementation is assessed across eight school health programme components including health services, health instruction, healthful school environment, mental health services, physical education, school food and nutrition, school site and facilities, and emergency and safety protocols. Findings indicate partial implementation across most components, with health instruction and physical education demonstrating relatively stronger implementation compared to mental health services and food safety, which are critically deficient. Only three of the 10 schools possess a functioning sick bay with a full-time nurse. Emergency and safety protocols are documented in only four schools. Recommendations include the development of a federal minimum implementation standard for school health programmes, dedicated budgetary allocation from the Federal Ministry of Education, and a national monitoring framework for school health programme compliance. Keywords: school health programme, implementation, federal government colleges, South East Nigeria, monitoring