KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE OF SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICES AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN NEMBE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, BAYELSA STATE

Abstract

Knowledge and practice of school health services among primary school teachers in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State was investigated. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. A sample size of 104 primary school teachers was used for the study. Six research questions and four hypotheses guided the study. Research questions were analyzed using frequencies and mean statistical tools while hypotheses were tested using t-test and ANOVA in SPSS version 26. An instrument (Assessment of Knowledge and Practice of School Health Services - AKPSHS) questionnaire was used for data collection. Findings revealed that while teachers generally have a high level of awareness about school health services, their actual practice remains suboptimal due to some challenges. Findings also revealed that educational attainment significantly influences both the knowledge and practice of school health services. From the findings, it is recommended that there should be targeted training programs, policy interventions, and increased government support to enhance the implementation of school health services.