Healthy habits earn top marks at Terengganu school
PETALING JAYA:
At one primary school in Terengganu, pupils aren’t just learning maths and science – they’re also collecting titles like “Water King”, “Nutrition King” and “Active Hero” for making healthier choices.
Behind the playful badges is a serious mission. Teachers at Sekolah Kebangsaan Manir began looking for new ways to tackle unhealthy habits after noticing more pupils becoming overweight, physically inactive, and regularly consuming sugary food and drinks
Rather than relying on classroom lessons alone, Science teacher Zuraidah Hassim and English teacher Najjah Salaamah Jusoh developed the Sihat Aktif Manirian (SAM) platform, combining a digital app with daily habit tracking, goal-setting and rewards to encourage lasting behavioural change
The app allows children to record how much plain water they drink, the healthy foods they eat, and how much exercise they do each day
Their efforts recently earned the school the AIA Outstanding Active Lifestyles Award, selected out of nearly 1,000 entries across the Asia-Pacific region
“We did not want these practices to stop at school – we want the healthy-lifestyle culture to continue at home as well,” Zuraidah told Bernama
“So, Najjah and I created SAM as a platform that educates pupils while recording their daily healthy lifestyle habits.”
Developed using Canva Code, the web-based platform is currently used internally by the school. Most pupils access it using their parents’ smartphones, making families active participants in the programme
“We incorporated gamification elements,” Zuraidah added. “Pupils who achieve certain targets receive badges such as ‘Water King’, ‘Nutrition King’ and ‘Active Hero’
“We emphasise honesty because the main objective is to educate pupils to adopt healthy lifestyle practices until they become part of their daily routine.”
The platform is part of a wider school initiative that includes aerobics sessions, water dispensers, nutrition talks and collaborations with local health clinics
About 300 Year Four, Five and Six pupils currently use the app, while health-related activities involve the school’s entire population of 686 pupils and 42 teachers
Although data on weight reduction is still being compiled, the teachers say the initiative is already making a difference
“Parents have informed us that their children are now drinking more plain water, consuming fewer sugary drinks and making healthier food choices,” Zuraidah said
Najjah noted that pupils had also become noticeably more active in sports
“This year, SK Manir pupils won the gold medal in the boys’ under-11 100m event and bronze in the under-12 category. The school’s football and handball teams have also recorded better performances than in previous years,” she said
“This shows that pupils are now fitter, more energetic, and have greater stamina as a result of the healthy lifestyle promoted through the app.”
The teachers hope to eventually develop SAM into a mobile app and expand it to other schools in collaboration with the health ministry
For now, its biggest achievement isn’t the regional award or the US$15,000 prize, but seeing pupils choose healthier habits long after the school bell rings
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