Digital tools for school-based health and well-being education

During this webinar, esteemed speakers from UNESCO Chair for Global Health, UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa, and UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education will explore pivotal aspects of health and well-being education within school settings. The discussion will delve into the significance of integrating health and well-being education into the school curriculum, elucidating its critical role in fostering the holistic development of students.

Key questions to be addressed:

• Why does health and well-being education matter, and why should it be a fundamental part of the school curriculum?
• How can digital tools be effectively considered and utilized for school-based health education?
• What are the various digital solutions available to support teachers in delivering health education, and how can they be implemented?
• What practical considerations should teachers bear in mind when incorporating digital tools into the classroom setting?

• Mr. Didier Jourdan, Chair holder of the UNESCO Chair “Global Health & Education”, Full Professor at INSPE Clermont-Auvergne, Governing Board member of UNESCO IITE
• Ms. Patricia Machawira, Health Education Advisor for Eastern and Southern Africa, UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa
• Mr. Donald Tererai, Project Officer, UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa
• Mr. Tigran Yepoyan, UNESCO Regional HIV and Health Education Advisor for Eastern Europe and Central Asia
• Ms. Ekaterina Samolygo, Project Coordinator, UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE)

Education has the power to transform the lives of children and young people. Those who receive a good quality education are more likely to be healthy, and likewise, those who are healthy are better able to learn and complete their education. Health and well-being education aims to equip children and young people with knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that empower them to realize their health, well-being, and dignity; develop respectful relationships; consider how their choices affect their well-being and that of others; and understand and ensure the protection of their rights and health throughout their lives.

Today, more young people than ever before are turning to digital spaces for information on health and relationships. During the webinar, educators, health promoters, school health workers, and other interested actors will learn about the potential of digital tools to complement the delivery of school-based education for health and well-being, with a particular focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights.

• UNESCO. 2023. What you need to know about education for health and well-being
• UNESCO. 2023.  Comprehensive sexuality education: For healthy, informed and empowered learners
• UNESCO. 2022. Using digital tools to support classroom-based sexuality education
• UNESCO IITE. 2023. Using video materials for health classes to promote healthy habits, responsible behavior, and HIV prevention  (provides links to video lessons and a guide for teachers in the Kazakh and Russian languages)
• UNESCO IITE. 2023. Video lessons on health education for schools of Kyrgyzstan (provides links to video lessons and a guide for teachers in the Kyrgyz and Russian languages)
• UNESCO. O3 Digital Platforms and Tools Handbook
• Young People Today Initiative: This initiative, supported by the United Nations, the Southern African Development Community, the East African Community, and Civil Society Organizations, is dedicated to enhancing the health and well-being of young people in the region through comprehensive education and access to services. Explore their platform at Young People Today to access a wide array of digital tools designed to complement and enrich classroom-based learning experiences.

Didier Jourdan: Full Professor at the University of Clermont Auvergne, Co-Chair Holder of the UNESCO Chair on "Global Health and Education," and Head of the WHO Collaborating Centre for "Research in Education and Health." Former Director of the Prevention and Health Promotion Division at the French National Public Health Agency. Previously held positions include Director of the Graduate School of Teaching and Education (ESPE), Head of the Centre for Lifelong Learning, and Vice-President of Blaise Pascal University.

Patricia Machawira: UNESCO Regional Advisor on Education for Health and Wellbeing in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA). Extensive expertise in policy and program development, advocating for comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) initiatives. Holds a Doctorate in Education Policy from the University of Pretoria and an MSc in Education and Training Systems Design from the University of Twente.

Donald Tererai: Digital comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) Specialist at UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSA), with a background in Learning Experience Design. Focuses on enhancing health and gender equality in sub-Saharan Africa. Holds Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Information Science from NUST, Zimbabwe, along with a PGDip in Educational Technology from the University of Cape Town.

Tigran Yepoyan: UNESCO regional HIV and health education advisor for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Oversees the development and promotion of ICT-powered tools for health and well-being education for young people. Supports teacher capacity building for violence prevention and health education. Based in Moscow at UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education.

Ekaterina Samolygo: Project Coordinator at UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE), with over four years of experience in international development and humanitarian aid. Expertise includes overseeing diverse projects focusing on comprehensive health and education initiatives. Manages social media initiatives for parents and supervises AI-based chatbots for health and well-being education delivery.

Moderator: 

Goof Buijs: Manager of UNESCO Chair / WHO Collaborating Centre for Global Health & Education and Director of Global Health & Education Consultancy since 2019. Specializes in merging health and education, with experience in networking, project leadership, innovation, training, and facilitation of events and conferences, fostering cooperation among individuals.