Schools Developing Health and Emotions

Schools Developing Health and Emotions

An Erasmus+ Partnership for Cooperation

Phase I 

Analysis of the situation: Portugal

emotionalschools-session

In the frame of Phase I, each project organisation had to analyse the existing situation on each project country on the promotion of health and emotional education in secondary schools and their institutionalization in its country. Here you have a summary of the presentation prepared by EPRALIMA concerning the situation of Portugal.

The Portuguese Educational System is regulated on a national level. All curricula, including health promotion and emotional education, are regulated at the national level and at all educational levels.
“The Basic Law of the Educational System attributes to the School the responsibility of guaranteeing permanent formative action oriented to favour the global development of the personality (…) and to provide the students with experiences that favour their civic and socio-affective maturity, creating in them positive attitudes and habits of relationship and cooperation, either in the plan of their family bonds, or in that of the conscious and responsible intervention in the surrounding reality.”

The national school health program is regulated by the Norm number 015/2015 of 08/12/2015.

“The National School Health Program (NSHP) is a guiding instrument for national policies regarding the promotion of health in schools. The PNSE was designed taking into account the objectives and strategies of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the European Region, Health 2020 and the principles of the HPS, School for Health in Europe (SHE).”

Concerning the implementation, the Ministry of Education, in partnership with the Directorate General of Health, is creating and making available guidance manuals for schools, which include different strategies for promoting health and emotional education in schools. The development and implementation of Health Education and Emotional Education activities at schools is the responsibility of multidisciplinary team, involving Psychologists and teachers of different subjects (Citizenship, Biology, etc.).

The Project called “PRESSE” is the Regional Program for Sexual Education in School Health, promoted by the Regional Health Administration of the North. Concerning the training of teachers, all teachers responsible for the development of PRESSE must do trainings on this subject.

In Portugal, it exists a “Healthy School” Seal, that is awarded by the Portuguese Psychologists Order. A “HealthyMind School” ensures that all students have the same opportunities to
develop their full cognitive, social and emotional potential. as well as prevention and intervention in Psychological Health problems, through collaboration with the family and community, adapting to the needs of all.