A joint program involving three New Zealand Government Agencies involves a doubling in size of a successful physical activity and nutrition initiative for schools.
Healthy Active Learning is a joint initiative between Sport NZ and the Ministries of Health and Education that has been implemented across more than 300 schools since last year.
In its third year it is to be extended to a further 500 schools across the country from 2022 to 2024.
Minister for Education, Grant Robertson said the success of the initiative had been encouraging and showed the value of Agencies and communities working together to improve the wellbeing of children and young people.
“The initiative involves regional sports trusts, regional education offices, and public health units partnering with one another to support schools to implement healthy eating and drinking, and a quality physical activity program,” Mr Robertson said.
“The Government has allocated $NZ47.6 million ($A45.6) into Healthy Active Learning over four years to build on the success of other Government programs across physical activity and nutrition.”
He pointed out that the initiative was voluntary and was delivered at no cost to education providers.
Minister for Health, Chris Hipkins said the resources should ensure all teachers felt confident and well equipped to teach children across the health, physical education and hauora (Maori health and wellbeing) curriculum learning areas.
Wellington, 2 November 2021
