Ministry of Public Health

A healthy nation requires healthy people, and healthy habits are best established early in life. It is with this in mind that much of the attention of the Ministry of Public Health is focused on school age children. Official and mandatory programs monitor the health of school children. Tests are administered twice a year - recording height, weight, percent of body fat, and various measures of physical fitness. Students are required to run sprints and longer distances and demonstrate the number of sit ups and push ups they can accomplish. Flexibility is also monitored.

The Ministry of Public Health also carefully controls school lunches and snacks to ensure they are healthful, and requires that all students participate in a sport of their choosing, through the completion of Secondary school. These sports clubs meet a minimum of three days a week, for at least an hour. Sports competitions between schools at all levels of education is fierce, and strongly encouraged by the Ministry of Health.