A HEALTHY DOSE OF EDUCATION

Education graduate Dr Colin Yarhman admits he is a workaholic, yet instead seeking fame or fortune he's chasing a healthy, educational dream.

Colin, who has been teaching at institutions such as UTS and UNICEF for over 25 years, founded Health Education and Promotion International Inc. (HEPI). A non-profit, volunteer organisation, HEPI comprises a team of qualified professionals dedicated to promoting children's healthcare worldwide. "I have never worked so hard and to such purpose," says Colin.

In his role as HEPI's Director, Colin looks at "the decisions people learn to make, and the behaviours they adopt during childhood and youth, because these decisions have a profound effect on their health as adults. All around the world children are suffering and at risk from diseases like malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS. Much emphasis is placed on curing their problems, but I feel it is better to prepare the child, rather than repair the child."

Applying this preventative philosophy, Colin works with educators in India to develop the Schools Total Health Program - a comprehensive health, life-skills and social development syllabus taught in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. The course is a requisite program for the 14 million students in grades one to 12 of the 51,000 government schools in the state.

HEPI's program has improved infrastructure and the standards of teaching while developing better school and community relationships. "Where the syllabus has been introduced, it has empowered students through knowledge and raising their self-esteem. The enthusiasm of both teachers and children has led to better enrolments, better retention of students, better attendance records and improvement in all subjects."

Now, at the invitation of the Russian Education Minister, the wheels are in motion for the Schools Total Health Program to be implemented in the Russian Federation. The most recent program manual is also attracting attention from tertiary institutions in Australia.