Despite global health crises, the Kingdom’s schools provided dramatically fewer health services to students during the 2020–2021 school year compared to previous years, AmmanNet reported.

Jordan’s School Health Program is set up to offer periodic free exams for public school students, arranged by the Ministry of Health’s Directorate of School Health. School doctors can also refer students to a health center, and laboratory tests are provided free of charge.

Staff shortages: A cause of concernHowever, understaffing is a common problem for school health services worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, and Jordan is no exception. The School Health Program has faced challenges in meeting its goal of providing a general practitioner to all public schools with over 500 students, and a dentist at all schools with over 1,000 students.