Minister of State in the Ministry of Health & Wellness, the Hon. Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn will lead the renewed Jamaica Moves in Schools programme.
Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton made the announcement today in Parliament during his Sectoral presentation.
The revived thrust on health and wellness in schools forms part of efforts by the Ministry to combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by strengthening healthy lifestyle practices among student populations.
“Now that schools are reopened, we will also see another collaboration with the Ministry of Education & Youth, with the rollout of the Jamaica Moves in Schools programme to get our children active as part of their wellness programme. Minister of State in the Ministry of Health & Wellness, the Hon. Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn will lead this initiative,” Dr. Tufton noted.
As ambassador for the programme, the State Minister and Olympian will lend her voice to advocate for healthy lifestyles among children and youth, and lead school tours across the island, highlighting the importance of physical activity.
The re-energised ‘Moves in Schools’ focus is timely, given unhealthy eating trends and high levels of physical inactivity among Jamaican adolescents. At the same time, the prevalence
of obesity among those ages 13 to 15 years is fueled by the consumption of many sugar-sweetened beverages and low-vegetable intake.
The Jamaica Moves in Schools framework was developed by the Ministry of Health and Wellness in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Youth to establish measures that facilitate increased physical activity and healthy eating among student populations. Further, the programme is expected to create a more supportive environment for healthy behaviours within the school setting.