Ready to Learn and Thrive

This ground-breaking report brings together, for the first time, multiple data sources to provide a global overview of school health and nutrition policies and programmes, showing that these are a practical and affordable way to support learners’ well-being and development. For example, more than 100 countries have school vaccination programmes, one in two primary schoolchildren receives school meals, and almost every country includes education for health and well-being in its curriculum. Yet, many children are missing out, especially in the poorest countries. As the world is facing a global food crisis and struggling with the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, this report 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 these programmes, so that all children and adolescents can learn and thrive. This requires implementing comprehensive programmes that are coordinated across sectors and sustained by increased policy and financial commitments.