GLOBAL STANDARDS FOR HEALTH PROMOTING SCHOOLS (GSHPS) CERTIFICATION OF SCHOOLS UNDER THE OFFICE OF THE BASIC EDUCATION COMMISSION IN UBON RATCHATHANI PROVINCE

Abstract

This study is a cross-sectional survey study to investigate the proportion of schools under the office of the basic education commission in Ubon Ratchathani province that have received the Global Standards for Health Promoting Schools (GSHPS) certification. Data were collected from 232 schools using self-administered questionnaires between December 2025 and February 2026. The study employed descriptive statistics, supplemented by in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with 14 key informants. The research findings revealed that the majority of schools (86.6%) did not meet the criteria for international health-promoting school certification, with only 13.4% meeting the criteria. Regarding process performance, the components with the lowest performance and requiring urgent improvement were: school health role models (1.7%) and school health leading to healthy students (1.8%). In terms of health outcomes, students exhibited high levels of desirable health behaviors and oral health (over 90%), but continued to face nutritional problems, particularly underweight students (14.2% meeting the criteria) and stunted students (31.9% meeting the criteria). Key informants reflected success factors included administrative leadership, network partnerships, and personnel participation. Conversely, major barriers were frequent personnel turnover, heavy teacher workloads, and budget and resource constraints. Recommendations include continuous capacity building for program coordinators, establishing mentorship systems between schools, and systematically integrating health initiatives into the curriculum to ensure sustainability.

Keywords: Global Standards for Health Promoting Schools, GSHPS Certification, Office of the Basic Education Commission, Ubon Ratchathani