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Good health and nutrition are foundations for learning and a crucial investment for more sustainable, inclusive and peaceful futures – they can improve education outcomes, empower learners to thrive and promote inclusion and equity in education and health.

The good news is that:

• 9 in 10 countries globally invest in school health and nutrition programmes.
• 418 million children receive school meals globally
• More than 100 countries have school vaccination programmes.
• Almost every country includes education for health and well-being in its curriculum.

Yet many children, in particular girls, are missing out especially in the poorest countries.

• 73 million of the most marginalized children are not reached by school feeding, undermining their ability to benefit from education. 
• 1 in 3 children face physical violence in school settings
• Nearly 1 in 4 schools do not have basic drinking water and 1 in 5 schools do not have a basic sanitation service.
• Only 2 out of 5 schools provide menstrual health education.
•  1 in 5 children (20%) are not protected against measles, a vaccine-preventable infection that can be fatal.

A groundbreaking report entitled  takes stock of countries’ policies and programmes on health and nutrition, and underscores school health and nutrition as an effective and affordable way to ensure learners learn and thrive throughout their education pathway and beyond. It was developed by UNESCO and five UN partners (UNICEF, WFP, FAO, GPE, and WHO), in collaboration with the World Bank, the Research Consortium for School Health and Nutrition and the UN-Nutrition Secretariat.

School health and nutrition is about investing both in learners’ education and their health, with benefits extending to homes and communities. Ensuring the health and well-being of learners is one of the most transformative ways to improve education outcomes, promote inclusion and equity and to rebuild the education system, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report shows that healthy, well-nourished and happy children and adolescents learn better and are more likely to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. For example, learners are 50% less likely to skip school when the learning environment is free from violence; absenteeism is reduced in low-income countries when promoting handwashing in particular for girls during menstruation when water, sanitation and hygiene is improved, and enrolment rates increase when school meals are provided to learners.

Despite significant progress on school health and nutrition, more work must be done to ensure that the programmes in place are comprehensive, meet the needs of all learners and can be sustained. Many children are still missing out, especially in the poorest countries and most marginalized communities.

While the multisectoral nature of school health and nutrition is a strength, it can also lead to diffused action and scattered interventions. More attention needs to be paid to the quality of progammes, the synergies with existing efforts and the monitoring and evaluating of actions’ delivery and impact.

As the world continues to face acute food insecurity, conflicts and displacement, the climate crisis, economic shocks and health pandemics such as COVID-19 and mpox, the education systems must prioritize the health and well-being of learners and teachers. 

To transform education and the lives of children and adolescents, UNESCO urges governments and development partners to put learners’ health and well-being at the core of the education agenda and to improve the quality and reach of school health and nutrition programmes.

We need comprehensive policies, costed plans and programmes that address all learners’ needs holistically, are relevant and responsive to contexts and evolving needs, coordinated across sectors and sustained by increased policy and financial commitments.

There are many ways in which schools can promote physical and mental health and well-being. This starts by including health and well-being in curriculum, providing nutritious school meals and ensuring access to health services. It also means ensuring that school environments are free from violence and conducive to good health, nutrition, development and learning. Greater efforts to engage learners and communities and to ensure school staff and teachers have the necessary knowledge, tools and support are also needed.

School health and nutrition actions are a cost-effective investment. They can help reach marginalized learners and advance inclusion and equity, while benefitting multiple sectors including education, health, social protection and agriculture.

At UNESCO, school health and nutrition are core parts of its education mandate. We know that children and youth learn better when they are happy, healthy and thriving in school. This means that their learning environment must feel safe, provide education for health and well-being, essential health services, such as healthy meals and promote physical and mental health.

Guided by its , UNESCO provides technical advice and resources, and fosters resilient and health-promoting education systems. The  by UNESCO and WHO, for example, supports countries to adopt and institutionalize a holistic and multi-sectoral approach that promotes the physical and mental health and well-being of all learners. Working with partners, UNESCO develops strategies to integrate health and well-being into education sector policies and planning, builds capacity and fosters cross-country learning and exchange of good practice.

Recent health pandemics demonstrated the interlinkages between education and health and the urgent need to work together across sectors. An analysis of 143 national statements of commitment following the Transforming Education Summit revealed widespread consensus for the need to support learners’ and teachers’ psycho-social and mental well-being, with 60% of countries advocating for enhanced physical and mental health, and safety measures. 

Through its work with governments, partners and civil society, UNESCO seeks to create and support education and school systems that foster a safe and healthy learning environment, enabling learners to thrive and get the most benefits out of their education. A series of guidance and tools were produced by UNESCO to help countries respond to , , and other forms of violence in and around school.

• Download  and the  from the report
• Press release: Educational achievement is hampered by lack of investment in health and nutrition
• GPE blog: 
• Read about a good practice in Malawi: How Wezzie is inspiring her students to make healthy choices in school and life in Malawi

• Making every school a health-promoting school: ; ; 
• How school systems can improve health and well-being: Topic briefs on ; ; ; ;