Promoting health education through immunology: An analysis of socio-cultural and pedagogical challenges

Abstract

Introduction: Health education in Morocco, integrated into school programs since 1971, promotes personal development, autonomy, and respect for others. While immunology can serve as a vehicle for this education, official texts and political will alone are insufficient to fully engage all stakeholders in the national education system. Methods: This study aims to examine these challenges through two studies: a quantitative one targeting a sample of 103 teachers and the other qualitative, analysing the presence of health education in the immunology curriculum across three official textbooks. Excel and SPSS software were applied for descriptive statistics and comparative analyses. Results: Findings revealed a reluctance among teachers to engage in activities aimed at promoting health education. Furthermore, school textbooks offer little space for health education. Conclusions: The implementation of this education in Moroccan schools faces socio-cultural obstacles. This limits students' ability to develop a critical understanding of their health (psychological, sexual, and emotional), thereby contributing to an environment where ignorance and misinformation prevail.

Keywords

• challenges
• immunology
• health education
• school textbook
• teaching