Tunji Alausa, minister of education, has urged Nigerian students to adopt healthy lifestyles, maintain proper hygiene, eat nutritious foods and stay up to date with immunisation in order to secure their future and develop responsible leadership qualities.
Alausa made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during the maiden edition of the Kid’s Dialogue Series organised by the Federal Ministry of Education in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Centre for Well-being and Integrated Nutritious Solutions (C-WINS).
The event, held at Government Science Secondary School, Pyakasa, Abuja, was themed: “Empowering Young Voices to Shape Health, Learning and Well-being in Nigeria.”
Addressing students drawn from various schools across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the minister stressed that good health remains the foundation for effective learning, productivity and leadership.
“If you don’t have health, you don’t have a life. You are the future of this nation and we have to start right by keeping you healthy. The most important person in keeping you healthy is you,” Alausa said.
He described vaccination as one of the most effective tools for preventing life-threatening diseases and encouraged students to ensure they are fully immunised.
“You should ask your parents and teachers, am I up to date with my vaccination?” he said.
According to the minister, advances in healthcare have made vaccines such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine effective in preventing certain cancers, while vaccines against measles and polio continue to save millions of children from serious illnesses.
Alausa noted that keeping children healthy is essential to achieving national development goals and building a future generation of productive citizens. He also commended parents and teachers for their role in nurturing children and guiding them towards achieving their potential.
Also speaking at the event, the Executive Director of the NPHCDA, Dr Muyi Aina, urged students to become ambassadors of healthy living within their schools and communities.
“As you learn, it is important that you also practise healthy behaviours, get your vaccinations, maintain good hygiene and eat nutritious food,” Aina said.
He noted that the dialogue series underscored the importance of engaging young people in conversations about health and well-being from an early age.
“We need to catch them young and set them on the path of health. For you to become healthy, productive adults, you need both education and good health,” he added.
During the interactive session, students raised questions on immunisation, mental health and general well-being.
Responding to a question on trauma and depression, Alausa said recovery is possible through open communication and professional support.
He encouraged children experiencing emotional challenges to speak with trusted individuals and seek help from mental health professionals when necessary.
The minister also advised students whose parents are reluctant about vaccination to discuss the importance of immunisation with them and seek support from teachers, stressing that vaccines remain critical in protecting children against life-threatening diseases.
