Student Health Ambassadors Can Now Score CCA Points

Singapore, 24 September 2012: Secondary school students passionate about getting their friends, family and community to adopt a healthier lifestyle will soon be able to earn Cocurricular Activity (CCA) points while doing so.

2. All they need to do is join their school’s Health Promotion Club, a new CCA which the Health Promotion Board (HPB) is setting up to equip youth advocates with the necessary know-how in current health issues, as well as skills in project management, planning and communications.

3. The aim is to groom youth leaders and ambassadors passionate about health promotion, to spearhead a youth-led, ground-up social movement in encouraging healthy habits and behaviours among Singaporeans.

4. As the Health Promotion Club offers programmes and activities which are aligned with MOE’s CCA Grading Scheme, club members will be awarded CCA points that can be used to apply for admission to junior colleges, polytechnics, institutes of technical education and the centralised institute.

5. While more than 600 student health ambassadors have already been trained by HPB’s Youth Health Ambassador Programme to support healthier lifestyles at their schools and communities via grassroots organisations such as the Youth Executive Committees, The Health Promotion Club will place a greater emphasis on how schools provide relevant training, create opportunities for health promotion as well as recognise the efforts of these student health ambassadors.

6. Said Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Transport: “By offering the Health Promotion Club as a new CCA, we are sending the message to our youth that a healthy lifestyle should be a priority item despite their busy school and social calendars. At the same time, the Club will harness youthful energy, by grooming passionate health ambassadors who will champion healthy lifestyles among their schoolmates and social networks.”

7. Said Mr Ang Hak Seng, Chief Executive Officer, HPB: “HPB will step in to provide expertise in various health topics such as physical activity, nutrition, mental health and tobacco control. After graduating from HPB’s Youth Health Ambassador training programme, club members will become part of HPB’s Health Ambassador Network. This means they can stay connected to an island-wide social movement espousing healthy living even after they finish secondary school. To develop youth leaders and advocates in health promotion, HPB is also teaching club members the basics of running health promotion outreach activities, honing their skills in project management, planning and communication as well as offering them the opportunity to take part in national health campaigns such as the annual National Healthy Lifestyle Campaign and World No Tobacco Day. Where appropriate, HPB will also support schools with health exhibits, educational materials and grants up to $1,000 per student-led health project.”

8. Said Mr Timothy Cheng, Principal, Canberra Secondary School: “Canberra Secondary School is a strong advocate of healthy living. Our tagline ‘Good Health, Great Living’ brings forth the message that good health is of paramount importance to great living. We also believe in empowering our students to go beyond the school and make a difference in their community in important areas such as health and wellness. Hence the setting up of the Health Promotion Club as a new CCA is timely as it provides a platform for youths who are strong advocates of healthy living to be trained in pertinent health topics and use their knowledge and skills acquired to take on the role of health ambassadors within and beyond the school.” 

9. Canberra Secondary School is currently working with HPB to be the first secondary school to offer the Health Promoting Club as a CCA. By 2015, HPB aims to set up at least 20 Health Promoting Clubs in secondary schools across Singapore.  

Media Release

For more information on the article above, refer to Media Release [PDF, 92.2 KB].